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Cameroonian authorities have pledged to respect and fully implement recommendations made in last year’s Major National Dialogue to end the crisis in the English-speaking regions of the country.
Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute made the promise while speaking at the inaugural session of the follow up committee for the dialogue in Yaoundé yesterday.
The dialogue by President Biya was initiated to address the Anglophone crisis – a bloody conflict which has claimed over 3000 lives and forced out over one million from their homes.
In his opening word at the Thursday session, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute praised the team made up of religious authorities, politicians, civil society actors and a host of other classes. “The membership composition and calibre foretells the hope invested in this committee … and will definitely take up in the right direction,” Dion Ngute said.
During a press briefing after the session, Spokesman of the Major National Dialogue, George Ewane noted that the committee was doing its best for the interest of the Cameroon people. He went on to state the different recommendations of last year’s dialogue, highlighting that their implementation is ongoing.
Some include: “taking appropriate measures to kick start hitch-free school resumption this year, enforce measures to end ghost towns by all means possible, to track down promoters of hate speech in our country, ensure the return of IDPs and refugees to their homes.
“Youths and civil education ministries are encouraged to include civic and moral education in their programs, the maintenance of law and order, the need for collective action and individual responsibility in resolving the crisis in the South West and North West region the creation of an industrial zone that will create over 9,000 jobs for those that are displaced but over and above all the reinforcement of the capacities of the DDR centers in Bamenda and Buea.”
“Some of the implementations are not going on as fast as we would like it. For example, the building of the North West and the South West. But it is better to be late than not to do anything at all. But for myself, I am contented with what is being done,” Ewane told reporters.
Almost a year after the Major National Dialogue, many continue to call for a genuine and inclusive dialogue as the war in the restive regions rages on.
For close to four years today, soldiers and separatist fighters have been engaged in gun battles in the regions, with civilians being the most-affected.
Among conditions for participating in a ceasefire, separatist leaders demand the release of hundreds of Anglophone detainees arrested in connection to the crisis, among other measures.
Mimi Mefo Info
