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The President of Cameroon, Paul Biya has signed a degree Friday afternoon, appointing Secretaries General of City Councils in the country, in an apparent move to stick to decentralisation. The decree read on state radio reveals that 10 City Council scribes have been retired and have been replaced immidiately.
Douala, Yaounde, Limbe, Bamenda, Edea, Bertoua, Ebolowa, Ngaoundere, Garoua and Kumba all have new faces to head the City Council Secretariat.
Those of Kribi, Nkongsamba and Limbe were transfered while Maroua’s City Council Secretary General was maintained.
It is the first major move taken by the Head of state following the peace mission of Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute to the conflict hit North West and South West regions.
One which has raised questions over the sincerity of the dialogue announced by the Head of Government.
Commentators say this is clear proof that, the regime is bent on Decentralisation whose implementation has been making baby steps since 1996. They believe that the high centralisation of power is one of the main causes of the deadly Separatist conflict in the North West and South West regions.
Rather than signing decrees, they want the President to translate his dialogue wish to action.
As enshrined in the 2004 Decentralisation law, City Councils whose Government Delegate and Secretaries General are appointed by the President have superiority over local councils where Mayors are appointed.
The city Council scribes define internal procedues and coordinate work of the city council, implement policies designed by the Government delegate and also ensure the prompt processing of files.
They evaluate activities and ensure staff are trained.
It is suspected the appointment of Government Delegates might follow..
MMI
