The Country Director of the Islamic Development Bank has carried out a field visit to Bamenda to evaluate the level of execution of projects of the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) funded by the bank.
The evaluation exercise, Mid-term to the financing took place in Bamenda on Tuesday 28th January 2025.
In an assessment meeting held at the MINEPAT hall Upstation Bamenda, the Islamic Development Bank is funding projects in 24 of the 34 subdivisions that make up the North West Region. As of now, projects have started in 20 subdivisions.
Cross section of participants
Running under three pillars of Rehabilitation of infrastructure, Revitalisation of the social economy and social Cohesion, transformative projects have been carried out with the PPRD's slogan of building better.
Schools have been rehabilitated across the seven Divisions of the North West, equipped with a solar borehole with comfortable offices for the school administration.
Implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) the project have also had the extension of water supply, organization of socio-cultural activities and the donation of farm inputs like palm nut, Cocoa and plantains seedlings amongst others.
With funding made available in November 2023, the Islamic Development Bank has emphasized that the projects must be completed and delivered to the population of the North West by December of 2026.
Of the projects recently realized, one has been vandalized in Balikumbat.
Motuba Tamajong Obase, National Coordinator
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Plan, Motuba Tamajong Obase, frowned at it and called on the Mayors to sensitize their population to accept the projects and own it.
The Mayors took turns to appreciate the total transformation of schools and other community based projects by the PPRD and funded by the Islamic Development Bank.
Mohamdou Awal
The Country Director of IsDB, Mohamdou Awal was visibly satisfied.
"It is my first time to come to Bamenda to see how the project moves. We have seen what has been done. We have met with the authorities and the various Mayors who have benefitted and their appraisal is satisfactory."
To the Mayor of Benakuma, Ihimbru Solomon, the project takes into consideration the activities of Faith Based organizations and it is laudable.
"It is all embracing. All the denominations have been invited especially those that take care of the education and health of our populations." Ihimbru Solomon said laying emphasis on the fact that faith based organisations like the Catholics, Baptist, Presbyterians, Full Gospel and the Muslims are primary beneficiaries.
Challenges such as the access and security into project sites were discussed. Some materials could only reach the project sites on bikes and in others, it took the ingenuity of the locals to carry building materials on their heads to the various projects sites. This is further hampered by the very bad roads, making movements difficult in the rainy season. The incessant lockdowns and ghost towns also affected the dateline for delivery of some projects.
To the Country Director of the Islamic Development Bank, these will be addressed.
"In future we can take advantage of these challenges and see how to better model our projects."
The Country Director concludes that the projects are well implemented.
The North West and South West Regions are benefitting from an envelope of 21 billion that is covering 47 municipalities across the two regions.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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