At ordinary session in Bafoussam: UCCC President unveils enticing projects to boost councils’ capacities, dev’t.

The session also had in attendance the representative of the Governor of the West Region, Awa Fonka Augustine, and representatives of the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development and the Director General of the Special Council Support for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM.

Speaking during the session, the president of the umbrella association of mayors in the country, announced a number of important projects they are working on for the interest of its members. 

Tamba cited the construction of a new headquarters building for UCCC at the Dragage neighbourhood in Yaounde. He stated that the land has been acquired, while the architectural design has been made available pending the mobilisation of funds for commencement of construction works.

“We have also embarked on a project to digitise all our councils. The aim is for each council to have its own website, with the minimum equipment necessary to develop its visibility, territorial marketing and communication activities,” Tamba detailed.

He said the move will facilitate experience sharing, partnerships scouting, and the consolidation of data essential to the planning of territorial projects and programmes.

Tamba also announced the eventual creation of the UCCC Foundation, which will enable them take advantage of funding and donation opportunities from the world's major charity windows.

Accounts for delay of session

According to Tamba, the delay in the organisation of its ordinary session to deliberate and adopt UCCC budgets for 2023 and 2024, has been due to its decision to focus efforts in preparing and hosting the second edition of the Councils International Economic Forum better known by the French acronym as JEICOM last June.

He stated that it was technically and materially impossible to hold the national executive bureau session in the same year and obliging them to organise a catch-up session. 

Reviews actions

Making a general review of the actions carried out by the UCCC since November 2020 after their election, the UCCC president indicated much has been achieved, and considerable progress has been made. 

“Our lobbying and advocacy missions have been satisfactorily fulfilled. However, there are still some results to be perfected, as reform processes sometimes take a little longer to come to fruition,” he said. 

Tamba said thanks to their effective lobbying, mayors are now part of the State’s constituted bodies, and the UCCC regularly consulted by the Ministry of Local Development, Prime Ministry and the Presidency of the Republic on a number of issues, including the review of laws and regulations.

On behalf of the public authorities and international partners, Tamba applauded mayors for the successful organisation; and massive participation at the JEICOM 2023. 

Productive councils 

As part of the implementation of its strategic vision, based on ‘productive councils’ concept, the UCCC boss called on all mayors to appropriate the vision by setting up projects in their respective municipalities as key actors interested in supporting councils have already been identified. 

“In order to set an example, we will be supporting a number of pilot projects in the field, as well as acquiring stakes in emerging entities that are the subject of deliberations to be submitted to you,” Tamba noted.

In addition, he urged government and FEICOM to help in providing support for studies and the maturing of communal projects. 

Challenges faced

Despite the numerous successes registered, the UCCC boss acknowledged that as mayors they are faced with a number of challenges, especially finances.

“In the exercise of our responsibilities, it has to be said that we are also faced with internal governance problems,” he mentioned while emphasising on the need to work in synergy to fine solutions to common challenges.

“We are faced with a large tax debt that is still not of our making. The CNPS debt is taking on significant proportions. We need to work together to find solutions to these concerns,” he declared during the meeting.