Emmanuel Kendemeh
4 April 2008
Regional and local authorities must create and strengthen cooperation with development partners such as the State, NGOs, State institutions and international community.
The law on decentralisation provides that Local Council and Regional authorities carry out development of the economic, social, health, education, cultural and sports sectors in their areas of competence. The same law challenges regional and local authorities to draw up development projects that mobilise national and international public and private partners ready with financial and technical support for the implementation of the projects.
Thanks to the "Guide for Mayors and Municipal Councillors", published by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation (MINATD), Cameroon's local council executives and councillors in general, now know how to draft development projects in specific domains under the competences of the councils and the different technical and financial partners to turn to for assistance. The Guide states that, " The financial and administrative autonomy of regional and local authorities should, in addition to tax collection and State allocations, focus on local initiatives and mobilisation of own resources , with a view to ensuring development of economic, social, health, education, cultural and sports sectors". For the local council to succeed in its development objectives, it may request the support for the implementation of projects, in particular, projects execution and acquisition of various goods and services. The "Guide for Mayors and Municipal Councillors" specifies that the financial partners "may be local (elite, communities ), national (ministries, foundations, financial institutions) or international (NGOs, bilateral or multi-lateral partners, decentralised cooperation ).
With specific focus on public partners, "the State is the undisputable partner of regional and local authorities because decentralisation consists in the transfer by the State to regional and local authorities of special powers and the appropriate resources, especially because regional and local authorities discharge their duties with regard to national unity, territorial integrity and the primacy of the State", the Guide spells out. Local councils in Cameroon have to seek and consolidate partnership bonds with State institutions. Key among them is the Local Government Training Centre (CEFAM) ,Buea for the training, proficiency and re-training of administrative and technical staff of councils, council unions and councils establishments. There is also the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (FEICOM). It assists councils through solidarity contributions and cash advances; finance council and inter-council capital works; and covers expenses relating to the training of council and civil status personnel.
Councils in Cameroon equally have the opportunity to create partnerships within the framework of cooperation between councils, private sector, major programmes to support decentralisation in Cameroon and major stakeholders involved at national, regional and international levels. Any regional and local authority that succeeds in drawing convincing projects and finds the interested technical and financial partners will surely make giant strides in development.
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