At 11th ordinary session: NW Regional Assembly counts strides recorded in 30 months.

The strides were counted during the 11th ordinary session of the body which opened yesterday in Bamenda. 

The session, according to a programme seen by The Guardian Post, ends Friday July 14.

The ongoing session is chaired by the President of the Regional Executive Bureau, Professor Fru Angwafo III. This is in the presence of North West Governor, Adolphe Lele L'afrique.

Senators, Members of Parliament, Mayors and Councillors of the region are also in attendance.

The session is focused on the laying down of groundwork on a better budgetary year and community projects across the region for 2024.

According to the President of the Regional Assembly, Fru Angwafo III, the session is also aimed at evaluating the various projects carried out for the past 30 months, since they took over office as pioneer executives of the assembly.

"It should be recalled that we formulated a three prong agenda for the Regional Assembly which articulated the imperative for a peace pact, youth engagement and empowerment and economic development…given that we are at our mid-term mandate, we will therefore be scoring the Regional Assembly 30 months on and assess how much we have stayed true to the vision we casted," Prof Fru Angwafo III said.

Projects realised, others

Focus during the session was also on the various projects carried out and others ongoing, spearheaded by the Regional Assembly in all the seven divisions of the region.

During the session, councillors applauded the Executive Bureau for projects realised and those earmarked.

Projects mentioned include the ongoing construction of the Regional Assembly headquarters, the construction of emergency medical centres, vocational training centres, rehabilitation of churches and classrooms, and the peace and development initiative recently rolled out by the institution. 

Need for peace, development

The President of the Regional Assembly in his opening speech touched on the security challenges rocking the region. He called on the population and the regional executives to champion peace and development projects in their communities. 

"We need total peace for development to follow. Sure, peace and normalcy is steadily returning to the region, but it is obvious that there is need for unanimity in order for the entire region to gain its full serenity," Prof Fru Angwafo III told the councillors.

The President, however, frowned at elite and personalities of the region who have abandoned their people and instead investing out of the region. 

He regretted that huge sums of money is leaving the region as a result of rural exodus.

"Regrettably, we carry currency, valuable capital and investments out of the region. The North West region is our region. No one else will build it for us. Let us all in the spirit of our slogan, work together for the peace, social cohesion and unity of our beloved region," Prof Fru insisted.

Enter NW Governor

Taking the cue during yesterday’s session, the Representative of the State who doubles as Governor of the region, Adolphe Lele L'afrique, urged the population to step up collaboration with security forces in order to completely wipeout those causing insecurity in the region.

"I use this opportunity to urge the population through the Regional Councilors to step up their collaboration with State Representatives, as well as forces of law and order, so as to completely eradicate the few terrorists who are still causing attacks in some areas of the North West region," Lele told councillors. 

He advised separatist fighters still operating in the region to act now and drop their weapons.

"They don't need to be told again today that they are on the wrong side... history shall have no mercy again on them if they don't drop down their weapons, it will soon be late...," the Governor warned, while condemning the recent upsurge in hate speech in the country. 

He also called on the population to refrain from such acts, which he was blunt are “aimed at destabilising peace and tannish the image of the country”.

Turning to other issues, the Governor urged elite, regional councillors and the entire population of the region to rally behind PWD Bamenda and Bafmeng United, which recently qualified to represent the region at the upcoming Cameroon Cup finals and at the National Interpools, respectively.

The June session of the North West Regional Assembly has been described as a special due to the presence of HRM Yakum Kevin of Bambalang and Hon Ujambeng Stephen, Divisional Representative for Ngie, who were attending for the first time after regaining their freedoms from the hands of separatist fighters.