PIC calls on government to call for ceasefire so local councils can go back to municipalities
By Nukapuh P.
The North West Public Independent Conciliator, PIC, has called on the government to calm the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West regions, so that local councils and staff can return to their municipalities and fully serve the population.
This was highlighted amongst other issues as recommendations during the presentation of the Public Independent Conciliator’s 2022 report on March 21, 2023 in Bamenda.
According to a report presented by Tamfu Simon Fai, Public Independent Conciliator of the North West region, so many local councils have left their municipalities and are partially functional in the town of Bamenda, where there is relative calm, abandoning the population that they ought to serve.
“The government should ensure an enabling environment so that all council personnel and Mayors return to the council areas as per section 144 of law No 2019/024 of 24 December 2019 to institute the general code of the regional and local authorities, to serve the population better, otherwise, councils should put in place alternative arrangements to cater for the very everyday pressing needs of their population.”
The call is coming at a time when councils like the Bafut, Ndop, Balikumbat, Babessi, and Belo councils among others have been operating in the town of Bamenda for years.
The PIC also recommended that the government should always disburse funds on time for effective implementation of projects by the public institutions in the North West region.
On the side of regional and municipal councils, PIC challenged them to always do more consultation with citizens and representatives in decision making, when it comes to projects that involve them.
Bad roads, insecurity amongst others were hilighted as some of the challenges faced by the Public Independent Conciliator. According to them, these are also issues that have been greatly affecting the region since 2016.
PIC was created as an independent body which handles problems from the local population, regional and local councils and provide tangible solutions. It is answerable directly to the President of the Republic.
