The President of the Steering Committee for the Presidential Plan for the reconstruction and development of the Northwest and Southwest Regions have commended the local population for believing in the plan. He also saluted new partners for financing the plan.
Speaking in Bamenda Tuesday, March 28th, Balungeli Confiance Ebune said if the plan is getting more attention and for the last two years, results achieved have not been effectively communicated.
This time, the plan wants to be visible to Cameroonians and those financing the plan.
“Hierarchy has instructed, not only recommended a bottom-top approach but also be in constant touch with the beneficiaries for better visibility. From the identification of the project to the monitoring through the realisation, the population will be the main actors in the implementation of the presidential Plan for the reconstruction of these two regions.
“The Plan contributes to building and rehabilitating what existed that has been destroyed or degraded by the crisis. In the vain, the PPRD is to contribute to the normalisation and the way of life of the population and contribute towards peace. The plan raised a lot of hope amongst the population”, Steering Committee President for the PPRD, Balungeli Confiance said.
To build better, the plan, he says does not replace the Public Investment Budget nor does it replace the budget of the various councils.
With an initial start-up budget of 10 billion from the state, the Presidential Plan has received an additional 2.8 billion from the Japanese, 1.5 at the start and 1.3 billion this year.
The plan is hugely supported by the Islamic Development Bank, SABC, the Employers Union of Cameroon, GICAM amongst others.
PM’s Envoy, Confiance Ebune addressing stakeholders at the Northwest evaluation meeting
In the Northwest Region, the Presidential Plan has reconstructed and equipped four women Empowerment centres, organised seven socio-cultural events, and supported four media houses.
In infrastructure, 45 projects have been carried out. Of these 45, 30 are the rehabilitation and equipment of schools, seven health centres and eight water points powered by solar.
In the aspect of revitalising livelihoods, 200 farmers have had their farms rehabilitated, 37 women cooperatives and a host of poultry farmers.
The plan coordinated on the ground by the United Nations Development Program has touched all seven Divisions of the Northwest Region with varied impacts.
In Bamenda III subdivision, the plan has increased the water supply by constructing additional reservoirs. Other distribution points have also been constructed.
At Full Gospel High School in Nkwen, the schools rejoiced because of the construction of a refectory in their school.
Balungeli Confiance Ebune used the occasion to call on young persons to join the active forces of the Nation for long-lasting peace and development. The youth who Governor Adolphe Lele LAfrique salutes for embracing the Head-of-state’s call to leave the bushes and move into the DDR has been largely satisfactory.
“Many villages were empty, and many have returned to open their small-scale businesses. In Nkambe the local population has shown gratitude for the multipurpose hall given to them by the Head of State through the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development”.
PM’s envoy and Northwest Governor alongside other stakeholders in the field evaluating projects
“Though the road to Nkambe is horrible in some parts, the people are fade up and the population of the Northwest region, in general, are expecting that the PPRD will help them to rebuild back better”, said Northwest Governor, Adolphe Lele Lafrique.
To sceptics who thought the plan could not work till total normalcy returns, Minister Confiance Ebune told them that the president had a plan to improve the livelihoods of those affected by the armed conflict in the Northwest and Southwest and it is working well.
At the start of the plan, the region was carved out into several zones depending on its peaceful nature and accessibility to projects and persons. The Minister noted that Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute had instructed that no matter the zone, lives should be touched as many communities have vomited separatist activities.
Earlier on, Bamenda City Mayor, Paul Achombang was emphatic to Non-governmental organisations to stop the usage of the phrase, Justice and Peace.
To him, peace should be the watchword without any connotation attached to it because if society is peaceful, everything will fall into place.
The presidential plan for the reconstruction and development of the Northwest and Southwest Regions was put in place on the 3rd of April 2020 and for almost three years, beneficiaries have attested to its effectiveness and vision to build better.
