Thursday June 25 marks the fourth day of consultative talks between the National coordinator of the Presidential plan for the reconstruction of the North West and South West Regions and stakeholders involved in the reconstruction plan
Mayors of the 34 council areas that make up the the North West Region have been consulted and speaking to The Observer, they attest that the move by Minister Paul Tasong and Donatus Njong are lofty
Opening the five-day talks in Bamenda, the National coordinator emphasized that reconstruction can go on even without a ceasefire and it will start from areas that are secured to the more difficult areas
Projects that can better improve the living standards of Denizens of the North West have been proposed. The Bamenda Municipal stadium, the rehabilitation of WADA and most importantly the Bamenda-Babadjou road. It comes at a time the Government has secured funding for the next phase of the Bamenda ring road
Hon Melvin Songwe
The ideas proposed and the euphoria around the plan has been saluted though to Hon Melvin Songwe, Vice Speaker of the African Youth Parliament, Government is putting the chart before the horse
"According to international norms, it is still a fallacy and we are still struggling to do the dialogue session in the midst of reconstruction. I am saying this because the session which we have the National coordinator seated in, it's some sort of a semi dialogue leading to reconstruction" Hon Melvin said
Every division and village, every sector that operates in the North West and South West Regions have been hit hard by the ongoing war but people living with disabilities have been hardest hit
"Inclusion of persons with disabilities which is an integral part of society was almost left out"
"Young people involved in the crisis would have been fully involved in this dialogue. About 30% who should have been seated in this session here should be young persons so that they can have their worries tabled" he highlighted
Young persons have been on the forefront in the fight for the creation of a separate country from Cameroon, called Ambazonia. They have met with stiff resistance since 2016 with thousands killed
The activities of the separatist fighters have also left much to be desired on the field. With killing, maiming, kidnapping for ransom, road blocks being the order of the day
A host of the stakeholders consulted have clamoured for minds to be changed first before works can begin
Empty streets for 72 Hours
The start of the consultation works in Bamenda was saluted with an imposed three-day ghost town from separatist leaders abroad that grounded activities in Bamenda
The state of Cameroon is bent of taking off internally displaced persons who lost homes back to their communities
Some 12,000 houses will be reconstructed
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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