Northwest: Gov’t urges population to embrace Reconstruction Plan

The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development of the Northwest and Southwest Regions, Balungeli Confiance Ebune, has urged inhabitants of the Northwest Region to embrace the initiative for their own good.

Ebune was speaking in Bamenda on Tuesday, March 28, as he came to evaluate projects executed by the plan.

This was barely a week after he had visited the Southwest Region for the same purpose.

“Hierarchy has instructed, not only recommended a bottom-top approach, but also be in constant touch with the beneficiaries for better visibility. From the identification of the project to the monitoring through the realization, the population will be main actors in the implementation of the presidential Plan for the reconstruction of these 2 regions,” he said.

“The Plan contributes to build and rehabilitate what existed that has been destroyed or degraded by the crisis. In the vain the PPRD is to contribute to the normalization and the way of life of the population and contribute towards Peace. The Plan raised a lot of hope among the population,” he added.

About the Reconstruction plan

The Reconstruction Plan kicked off in 2020, as one of the resolutions of the Major National Dialogue President Paul Biya organised to discuss and end to the ongoing armed in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.

Its priority has been to rebuild damaged infrastructures, strengthen the local economy of the crisis regions in order to trigger an economic and social recovery.

Since it kicked off, the Plan has constructed few schools, hospitals, and rehabilitated water facilities in parts of the Anglophone Regions.

However, works have only taken place in areas that are calmer, including Bamenda in the Northwest, and Buea and Limbe in the Southwest.

Given the enormous infrastructural damage caused by armed conflict, it will take the government several years to rebuild the Regions, observers say, and this cannot be effectively done when conflict is still ongoing.

Many people had initially criticised the early timing of the Plan, arguing it could not be implemented when conflict was still going on.

Government nevertheless thinks the project has started well and it is now up to the population to ensure the realisation of projects in their communities.

Some members of the population have lauded the progress of the Plan so far, but have continued to argue that what they need now is peace, after which reconstruction may follow.

Mimi Mefo Info