NW, SW reconstruction plan gets over 21 BFCFA fresh funding.

The fresh funding was chipped in by the Association of Banking Institutions of Cameroon, best known by its French acronym APECCAM, and the Islamic Development Bank, IDB.

Two Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, to put the funds at the disposal of the PPRD-NW/SW officials were signed in Yaounde Monday July 31, 2023.

The MoUs were signed between the representatives of the two donor institutions and the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Alassane Ba, the implementing partner of the plan. 

This was in the presence of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, the National Coordinator of the PPRD-NW/SW and other stakeholders of the reconstruction plan. 

The first MoU was signed by the President of the Association Banking Institutions of Cameroon, APECCAM, Gwendoline Abunaw, and the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Alassane Ba.

APECCAM, through the said agreement, allocated the sum of 250 million FCFA to be used for the reconstruction and development of the North West and South West regions.

“We came as APECCAM to give our support to all the initiatives that the state of Cameroon is doing to rebuild these areas,” Abunaw told reporters and the end of the ceremony.  

She added that: “As financial institutions, we thrive when the economies of our countries thrive”. 

The second MoU was signed between the Islamic Development Bank and the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Alassane Ba.

Through the agreement, the Islamic Development Bank is supporting the reconstruction and development plan with the sum of twenty one billion one hundred and fifty-five million FCFA. 

Speaking after the signing of the two MoUs, the senior UNDP official saluted the quality of partnership.

“I will like to thank the government of Cameroon, APECAM and the Islamic Development Bank for the quality of the partnership,” Alassane Ba said. 

Enter PPRD-NW/SW Coordinator 

Speaking at the ceremony, the National Coordinator of the PPRD-NW/SW, Tamanjong Motuba Obase, described the additional funding as a few more steps that boost efforts already being made to better the lives of those affected by the crisis. 

“You can imagine the gratitude we have when private companies come together to put their hands on deck for us to succeed in making life better for the people who have been suffering most from this crisis,” Obase told reporters. 

The PPRD-NW/SW National Coordinator also used the opportunity to explain the changing dynamics on the ground in the two regions. 

“In terms of the situation of 2020, we were at 189 billion 622 million FCFA,” he stated, but clarified that the needs increase after reassessment done with the consent of government in 2022. 

“When the government gave the authorisation to do the reassessment in 2022, the demands went up to 154 billion FCFA. With the financing we are having relative to 2020, our gap is 53%. Relative to 2022 with the 154 billion, we have a gap of 74%,” the PPRD-NW/SW coordinator noted. 

The Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, expressed gratitude to APECCAM and the Islamic Development Bank for supporting the presidential reconstruction and development plan for the two English-speaking regions.

The Star Building occupant said the funds will not only address the needs of the administrative units of the two crisis-hit Anglophone regions but equally those of the conflict-hit Far North Region of the country. 

The fresh funding, it should be noted, are fruits of efforts that have been made by PM Dion Ngute to woo members of the private sector as well as international partners to support the ongoing plan to rebuild and develop the North West and South West regions.

Fresh funding to boost new operational strategy

The PPRD-NW/SW, it should be recalled, is a recommendation of the Major National Dialogue. It was created in 2020. 

Worth noting is the fact that a new operational strategy for the plan was adopted last April during the fifth session of the Steering Committee of the PPRD-NW/SW. 

The plan focuses on youth between15-35. It has a monitoring and reporting strategy,  work plan and budget for the current financial year, with an expected funding of 29,112,000,000 FCFA (Twenty Nine billion, One Hundred and Twelve Million).

The first three phases of the PPRD-NW/SW focuses on recovery by addressing the immediate needs of the affected populations in the two English-speaking regions. The goal is to restore social cohesion, reconstruct and rehabilitate basic infrastructure, and revitalise the local economy.

Revisiting strides in NW, SW so far

Fruits of the PPRD-NW/SW have been visible in the North West and South West regions with the population expressing satisfaction.

The plan has reconstructed and equipped four women empowerment centres, organised seven socio-cultural events, supported four media houses amongst others in the North West. 

Still in the North West, at least 45 projects have been carried out among which 30 are the rehabilitation and equipment of schools, seven health centres and 8 water points powered by solar.

The plan has also revitalised livelihood as 200 farmers have had their farms rehabilitated, 37 women cooperatives and a host of poultry farmers have received support to get back their activities on the rails.

In the South West Region, the plan has completed about 94 projects either through rehabilitation or complete reconstruction of health facilities, schools and water points. It has given facelift to more than 40 infrastructure including among them 21 schools, 12 water points and 13 health centres.