Beneficiaries of the Presidential plan for the reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West regions have applauded the government of Cameroon for coming to their aid at the most difficult moment of their lives.
Speaking in Buea, the beneficiaries thanked the President of the steering committee, Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister's office, Balungeli Confiance, for living their lives better than they met it.
Father Isaac Anuchem, Principal of St Joseph College Sasse, whose institution benefited from the construction of a dormitory, fence and strengthening its water tank, the project was a great relief to his institution. The student and all stakeholders, he said were grateful for the support from the PPRD and UNDP.
The visit of Minister Balungeli Confiance to the South West was first to appreciate the population for accepting the vision of the Head of state for the revitalisation of the livelihood in the troubled region.
According to the steering committee chairman, beneficiaries of projects executed in the South West have been very enthusiastic.
One of the schools rehabilitated
In total, 403 farmers in Tombel and Bangem have been supported while 27 cooperatives have benefitted from the development of the pilot agro pastoral projects in Mamfe, Muyuka and Mbonge. The plan has also rehabilitated a market in Wabane, supported 20 start-ups, 10 tech start-ups and the construction of 20 greenhouses.
A report greatly appreciated by Minister Balungeli Confiance;
" As chairman of the pilot committee, we are here to make an evaluation of work so far done with the context of the Presidential Plan, an offshoot of the Major National Dialogue.
" The project at conception was not easy for the beneficiaries to accept because they did not see the foresight of the project but today, we can see that they're accepting it.
" So our mission was to visit different project sites and to report back to the Prime Minister, Head of Government." Minister Ebune highlighted.
He further stated that 21 educational facilities both public and private have rehabilitated through the project.
" A lot of beneficiaries are thankful to the Head of state for all the realisations so far. We see a lot of satisfaction and enthusiasm towards this project from the population as a lot of the earmarked projects have been realised."
The hope of the plan is to embrace a bottom-top approach in the execution of the projects.
Speaking to stakeholders during the evaluation meeting, the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, challenged leaders of the Presidential Plan to increase their communication outreach to the population, so that they can better appreciate the efforts towards reconstruction and development of their region.
The population's knowledge and appreciation of projects with the Presidential Plan, he regretted was very low. This he said had contributed to the population not appropriating projects executed in line with the plan.
"We benefited three projects: St Martin's Dormitory, which caught fire some two years ago and the whole dormitory was destroyed. It was reconstructed thanks to the PPRD-NWSW. We also have the fence built to improve security and it has helped to check movement to and out of the campus. The water tank improvement has also reduced our challenges getting water" he said.
The Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the North West and South West Regions also took the opportunity to invite separatists fighters and their sympathisers online to embrace the President's amnesty and join efforts in developing the country.
"Our brothers who are still holding arms or using the social media to create chaos in our communities that it is high time, take the olive branch from the head of State and the achievements of this project to join in nation building. They have alot to contribute, but they are wasting their lives and future in the bushes and terrorising their populations"
Addressing the concerns of beneficiaries such as health and educational facilities without equipment and poor execution of some projects, Balungeli encouraged the population to protect what they already have, while promising to ensure poorly executed projects are corrected. "It was an evaluation with the goal of putting things in place, Wututu, we got concerns about the water catchment and the contractors will make the needed corrections".
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