CI-NEWS

Marshall Plan for NW&SW: PM goes for competence!

2020-04-07

No: 480

Marshall Plan for NW&SW: PM goes for competence!

Appoints strategist, Paul Tasong, and long-serving Kumbo mayor of SDF stalk, Njong Donatus Fonyuy, as pilots.

By Christopher Ambe Shu in Buea.

Prime Minister Chief Joseph Dion Ngute, is a man of action. Within a week of being given the confidence by President Paul Biya to follow up the implementation of the resolutions of the Major National Dialogue, he has swung into action. He chose to begin with the most strategic resolution of providing the strife-torn regions with a Marshall Plan. And for pilots, he went for competence. Tasong Njukang Paul, Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) was last Friday appointed as the National Coordinator of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the North West and South West regions. He will be assisted by long-serving Kumbo mayor of SDF stalk, Njong Donatus Fonyuy , an indication that the PM wants to see performance, even if it has to come from the opposition. Njong had served as mayor of Kumbo since 1996, winning the hearts and minds of the grassroots. That popularity will be crucial for the implementation of the reconstruction plan. He told CRTV’s Cameroon Calling yesterday that he would swing into action with effect from today because he has already received all the project documents from the PM’s Office. The MINEPAT minister delegate said the work plan would be submitted to the Director of Cabinet at the PM’s Office for onward transmission to the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

The Marshall Plan for the North West and South West regions has become reality four months after Dion Ngute presented the project to ambassadors and donors.

During the Major National Dialogue, the reconstruction committee had come up with a budget of some 3500 billion FCFA to rebuild the two war-torn regions.

During the presentation of the plan to donors, some already pledged to support it with various sums. France, for example, promised 62 million euros (40.3 billion FCFA) to come from the remnants of the debt reduction and development contract (C2D).

Tasong used his interview to call on the people of the battered regions to appropriate the plan for their growth and development. He said armed with the map of the two regions, the implementers would start from areas where normalcy has returned before proceeding to the “red zones”.

He said they would be operating on the mantra of Build Back Better (BBB). Phase one will be to rehabilitate destroyed public infrastructure and making usable that which has lain fallow. Phase two will be economic rehabilitation to enable the two regions catch up with the rest of the country in terms of investment projects. The CDC, PAMOL and small holder schemes that have been the livewire of the two regions fall under this phase.

The third phase will be rehabilitation of the social actors like the chieftaincies, churches and schools.

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Marshall Plan for NW&SW: PM goes for competence!