By David Atangana
Eight new cars have been bought for executive members of the North West Regional Assembly, despite the institution not having enough funds to carry out much-craved development projects in the region.
The cars, which some denizens’ have described a “misplaced priority”, were received Thursday, December 15, 2022, at the Assembly’s building at Upstation, Bamenda.
The event took place shortly after the budgetary session of Regional Assembly.
A message posted on the Assembly’s Facebook page says, “The North West Regional Assembly last Thursday December 15, 2022, received eight service cars purchased for the Executive of the Assembly.”
The message furthers: “These cars consist 4 Fortuners, 2 Prados and 2 pick ups that will go a long way to facilitate movement of REC members and staff within and out of the region.”
Buying of service cars for executive bureau members was one of the first resolutions approved by the Assembly after it was inaugurated.
Some Regional Councillors were reportedly disgruntled with the decision, but were helpless to stop it.
As a baby institution, they argued, the Regional Assembly should be more concerned with creating impact in the communities, which its members represent, instead of diverting several millions for service vehicles.
Some North West denizens’ who spoke to MMI say acquiring such expensive cars at a time the Region is plagued with numerous development issues is but a misplaced priority for the Regional House.
“Looking at the problems of the North West region, one will say that this regional Assembly of thing is a joke,” a Bamenda city dweller told MMI, preferring to remain anonymous.
He wondered: “How can they be buying cars instead of investing the money in the development of the region? This is what we call misplaced priority.”
Another denizen who also opted not to be named said, “I am not surprised. This is what the regime is made of. They prefer buying cars instead of solving local problems they are elected to solve.”
The Northwest Region, like the Southwest, is struggling to rebuild after six years of an ongoing armed conflict that has hindered development.
Top among the Region’s development needs is the need to rehabilitate roads within Bamenda, the Regional headquarters, which are presently in a sorry state.
Elite of the region have also been asking government to rehabilitate the Ring Road, which links the seven Divisions of the Region.
With these issues and many more at hand, Northwest denizens say they expect the Regional Assembly to spend money on projects that will impact the common man.
The Northwest Regional Assembly is one out of the 10 Regional Assemblies that government instituted to champion development in the various regions.
It is one of the fallouts of the 2019 Major National Dialogue that was organised to address the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.
The population, especially those in the crisis-hit North West and South West Regions, has been very expectant of the regional bodies, which is a decentralized arm of government meant to champion economic, social and infrastructural development.
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