Minister Paul Tasong presenting the new SW/NW reconstruction plan.
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
The President of the steering committee of the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD), Paul Tasong, has outlined the new organic framework that will see more than one implementing partner carrying out works unlike before that had only the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Following order number 075/CAB/PM of the 30th July 2024 signed by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, the new outline will see local and regional councils come into play in the execution of projects linked to the PPRD.
Like Paul Tasong explained, the plan that has been in existence since 2020 focused largely on the recovery phase. Here, a lot of agricultural inputs were shared to farmers, several schools, constructed, water systems established.
In total, 258 projects have been completed. 38 projects are ongoing and 2 suspended according to statistics from the President of the North West follow-up committee, Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique.
The new dispensation of the PPRD will see councils take charge of their development and other key stakeholders of the state will accompany them in the implementation of these projects.
“We want to state that a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the PPRD and the councils. As it stands, there is no existing legislation that binds us together. We will also ensure that there is a strict follow-up in the utilisation of the resources that we put at the disposal of regional and local authorities.”
“The composition of the Regional follow-up committee has been changed to bring Mayors on board. It will be of paramount interest to us if the Mayors are resident in their council areas.” Paul Tasong said.
With a slogan of building back better, the PPRD it was explained differs sharply from the Public Investment Budget as they seek not just to reconstruct but to do that better.
Paul Tasong explained that; “if we move to a school for instance, our aim will not be to build the classrooms only but to add water and ensure that there is electricity and other social amenities.
The President of the steering committee, Paul Tasong was emphatic that going forward, the implementation of the second and third phase of the PPRD will commence.
Focus in the second and third phase will revolve around making the agro-industry in the North West and South West Regions to feel better. A meeting in view of assessing where the PPRD will intervene in the activities of the CDC, PAMOL and UNVDA will take place soon. Paul Tasong explained that the “when these industries are suffering, the General population suffers.”
With an initial budget of 150 billion for the recovery phase, the PPRD has been able to mobilize just 50 billion in the four years of its existence. Paul Tasong explained that this has been the major hindrance while saluting development stakeholders who trusted the PPRD by donating to it despite the fact that the crisis is still ongoing.
In total, the entire PPRD is expected to run on a budget of 2500 billion for the complete transformation of the North West and South West Regions.
Projects initially previewed in the PPRD like the Bamenda-Babadjou road, the ring road and the Bamenda urban bypass will soon see the light of day.
The President of the Regional follow-up committee, Adolphe Lele Lafrique was very pleased with the new framework and noted that there is hope in the horizon.
Beneficiaries of projects under the PPRD like the Mayor of Bafut, Ngwakongoh Lawrence saluted the quality of works realized under the PPRD.
“Classrooms were constructed with solar, water system toilets and classrooms as beautiful as lecture halls in the University. In the agricultural sector, they were enormous donations to farmers to help them kickstart their lives.” Mayor Ngwakongoh Lawrence said.
