By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
Aimed at improving governance and promoting resilience in the region, PROLOG, a local governance and resilience community project was recently launched at the Buea Council Chambers.
Officially launched by the Representative of the Governor of the South west region, the Secretary General at the SW Governor’s office, Acha Gilbert, the event witnessed the presence of the National Coordinator for PROLOG Dr. Ngua Jackson, the SDO of Fako, the Regional coordinator for PROLOG Tabe Ako Leo, and other community members.
The event marked the beginning of a significant initiative equally aimed at strengthening the capacity of local institutions, improve community infrastructure, and provide better services to vulnerable populations affected by conflict.
Note that PROLOG is funded by international development organisations, the World Bank, the State of Cameroon, and other financial partners. “PROLOG is a bottom-top approach that seeks to build trust with the community”, said the Regional Coordinator of PROLOG, Tabe Ako Leo, while emphasising on the importance of identifying and meeting the needs of local communities.
The Mayor of Buea Council, David Mafani Namange Esq, in his remark said that the launching of PROLOG in the South West Region has come to accelerate the most cherished decentralisation process as orchestrated by the Head of State, President Paul Biya. He added that the PROLOG project is geared towards increasing community access to developmental infrastructures like roads, health facilities and educational centers, strengthening and managing the capacities of resources and services, intervention in disasters like man made drought or natural at local level etc.
The representative of the Governor in his speech stated that, “The local governance and resilience project was created by the prime ministerial decree of 2024/00464/PM of January 25, 2024. PROLOG aims to improve assets of certain communities’ infrastructure resilience, climate change and to provide capacity building at the local level in terms of resource management.” He further highlighted the four main components of the project in order to achieve these objectives which consist of; Improving Community infrastructure and basic services, Improving various levels of the governance framework and capacities of local authorities to deliver services, Management, monitoring, and evaluation of the project, and Contingent emergency response component. He revealed that the project amounts to FCFA 189,200million.
“The launch of PROLOG represents a significant milestone in the journey towards building a more resilient and prosperous South West Region. With the support of local communities and the dedication of key stakeholders, the project is poised to make a meaningful impact on the lives of the region’s residents.” As the Regional Coordinator of PROLOG stated, “PROLOG has come, we have been craving for projects that the vulnerable have abandoned. This time, let’s go back to our communities to follow the ministerial decision to create projects, and identify the projects we want in our communities”, the governor’s representative opined.
This project however, is being expected to last for Five years which functions in all the 10 regions of Cameroon, but presently works with only 6 of this regions being; South West, North West, Adamawa, North, Far North and the East. The coordination and management of the project is ensured by the national stakeholder committee presided over by the minister of decentralisation and local development.