PPRD counts achievements five years down road
By Nchendzengang Tatah
The sixth session of the steering committee for the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions was held in Buea, chief town of the South West region on May 30, 2025. It was chaired by the Prime Minister, Head of Government Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute on behalf of President Paul Biya.
Members of government including the Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Audit Mbah Acha Rose, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy Planning and Regional Development in charge of Planning Paul Tasong and the Secretary of State for Basic Education Asheri Kilo Vivian were in attendance alongside the Governors of the two regions, regional and municipal authorities.
The Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West regions, which kicked off on 3rd April 2020 following the Major National Dialogue of 2019, is divided into three phases. These are the recovery, reconstruction and development.
As of December 2024, the recovery and reconstruction phases were ongoing simultaneously. The entire reconstruction of the two crisis-affected regions was estimated at 2500 billion FCFA. By the end of 2024, 30.256 billion FCFA has been received as funds for the project since its operationalisation.
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) sourced the greatest portion of 17.1 billion FCFA. The government imputed 8.9 billion FCFA, while the first and second phases of Japanese financing amounted to 1.5 billion FCFA and 1.3 billion FCFA, respectively. The Societe Anonyme Des Brasseries du Cameroon (SABC) contributed 500 million FCFA, and UNDP put in 270 million FCFA. The Association Professionnelle Des Establissements de Credit du Cameroun (APECCAM) gave 250 million FCFA, and the Groupement Des Industries Meunieres du Cameroun GIMC gave 200 million FCFA. These contributors to whom PM Ngute in Buea extended the heartfelt gratitude of the Cameroon government.
Inside project phases
The recovery phase of the project in both regions carried out the support for the issuance of 800 lost documents. Eleven women’s centres were rehabilitated, 99 schools were rehabilitated, 39 health facilities were rehabilitated, and 39 water points were rehabilitated. In terms of economic empowerment, 1,725 hectares were said to have been rehabilitated, 2,461 farmers supported with farm inputs, and 104 agric-pastoral groups aided.
Programme officials explained that the sharing of projects was not uniform to the beneficiary localities but concerning the security situation to realize the projects. Which thoughts expressed during the session called for the reclassification of the green, yellow and red zones with the return of relative normalcy in many areas which were estimated formerly as red zones. The salary payment of CDC workers amounting to 20 billion FCFA was the hallmark of the reconstruction phase.
As concerns the final phase: development. More than 80 billion FCFA were used for the reconstruction of the Bamenda- Babadjou ring road. The construction of the Kumba – Ekondo – Titi road and the Bangem Nguti road have begun to the tune of 40 and 41 billion FCFA, respectively.
