At opening of SAGO 2024: MINCOM boss says achieving SND30, boosting citizens’ livelihoods gov’t’s priority.

He made the declaration in Yaounde Monday, while officially opening the 13^th edition of the Government Action Fair, popularly known by its French acronym, SAGO.

Minister Rene Sadi opened the fair on behalf of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Dr Chief Joseph Dion Ngute. 

The fair, holding at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Yaounde, will run till Saturday, July 27. 

It is holding under the theme: “‘Governance and improving the living conditions of citizens’”.

The minister said the organisation of SAGO 2024 comes at a time the country's economy, like those of every other country is suffering the repercussions of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

He, however, stated that despite the gloomy situation, “Cameroon is striving to create and maintain conditions conducive to appreciable resilience, capable of enabling us to achieve the objectives set out in the National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (NDS30)”.

This, Minister Rene Sadi noted, justifies theme of the fair, which touches on the “two major areas that determine the success of government action and are the guarantees of development and progress”. 

SAGO avenue to market gov’t action

Minister Rene Sadi told his hearers that by choosing to focus on governance and the wellbeing of citizens, SAGO 2024 is a “prime opportunity for the government to explain to the general public and to all the partners and economic players involved, the vital importance of implementing judicious and consistent governance”.

The member of government described what he termed “judicious and consistent governance” as “one of the necessary, indispensable and even unavoidable conditions for improving people's living conditions”. 

Minister Rene Sadi was categorical that “good governance, as enshrined in the NDS30” if well implemented, “should enable our populations to have satisfactory access to the essential basic social services that they are

entitled to expect from public action”.

Contextualizing governance within the contours of the NDS30, Minister Rene Sadi, noted that governance that is well thought out and adapted to the national and international context, “must be resolutely geared towards improving citizens' living conditions, for a better social integration of the population, and hence inclusive national development”.

The Government Spokesperson said it is for this reason that, under impetus of the Head of State, Paul Biya, “the primacy and centrality of this major imperative constitute one of the government's priorities, and one of the essential axes of our ambitions for 2035, with a view to Cameroon's emergence”.

He said the focus of government with regard to national governance, is on “modernising the management of public finances, improving the management of public debt, rationalising the management of public companies and establishments, improving the business climate, strengthening cooperation and partnership for development, the contribution of the diaspora to national development, and regulating and monitoring the national economic space”. 

Hails massive presence of state structures

Minister Rene Sadi also saluted the massive presence and participation of public administrations, public companies and establishments. He said this testifies to the great interest SAGO arouses and its growing attractiveness.

“In this respect, and in view of the theme chosen for this year's event, the ongoing quest for effective transversality and greater cohesion between the various players in the public sphere in their participation in this Fair on Government Action is to be commended,” he stated. 

Though strongly dedicated to government action, the minister said the fair is more than ever before open up to private sector operators. 

“This is why I am pleased to note the greater presence at this 13th edition of private sector operators, who are undoubtedly the real drivers of economic development at the operational level,” he said. 

Make fair more attractive 

Minister Rene Sadi urged organisers of SAGO to continue to work towards making the show more attractive to the general public, through intensive promotional activities. 

He said it is through this that everyone will realise the many actions and achievements of the government in favour of the development of Cameroon and the wellbeing of Cameroonians.

About SAGO & its missions 

SAGO provides a platform for exchanges between, on the one hand, those responsible for implementing public policies and their partners, and on the other hand, institutional players, economic operators and the general public, who are the main beneficiaries of government action”.

It has as missions to promote and ensure the visibility of the government's work, disseminate national public policies to a variety of contacts both within and abroad, encourage people to support the actions taken by public authorities on their behalf, help implement the national inclusion policy advocated by the government and contribute to strengthening the synergy of government work.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3177 of Tuesday July 23, 2024