More Talk, Less Action: Prime Minister's 3-Day Bamenda Visit Exposes Gaps in Reconstruction Efforts, Underscores Need for Results

More Talk, Less Action: Prime Minister's 3-Day Bamenda Visit Exposes Gaps in Reconstruction Efforts, Underscores Need for Results

Colbert Gwain @The Muteff Factor (formerly The Colbert Factor)

When the military invaded Abuh situated off the jaws of Muteff village in Fundong Subdivision of the Boyo Division in Cameroon's North West Region in 2017, aiming to destroy a separatist base used to destabilize Fundong, they removed solar panels and other technical accessories installed for the community by an NGO. The NGO's goal was to improve the livelihoods of the inhabitants, who had been without electricity since independence. The villagers' hopes had previously been raised by President Paul Biya's accession to power, particularly after his 2011 campaign promise, reaffirmed in 2018 in Maroua, to ensure every village, subdivision, division, and region in Cameroon received basic amenities like water and electricity.

Residents of Muteff had become excited about the development in neighboring Abuh village because it was going to significantly reduce the time spent trekking 12 kilometers to Fundong every other week, a chore undertaken solely to charge their phones and stay connected. It was more so, because with more time available, the villagers could focus on their farms, potentially increasing productivity and ensuring food sufficiency.

The inhabitants of that enclave were filled with excitement and hope when the Financing Agreement and Project Document for the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West regions was signed on May 5, 2020. They had been eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of their long-standing wish for electricity, especially after their solar panels were dismantled and taken away. However, their hopes were tempered by the reality that the Presidential Plan seemed to be creating its own priorities rather than addressing the specific needs of their community.

Five years into the Reconstruction efforts, progress remains sluggish at the regional level, benefiting only a select few while neglecting the pressing needs of many local communities. With the National Development Strategy (NDS2020-2030) at its midpoint, concerns arise about whether the projects would be realized given the government's notorious track record of unfulfilled promises.

The Prime Minister's visit to Bamenda, led by Joseph Ngute, was seen as an opportunity for the government to showcase its commitment to the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions. However, many locals viewed the visit as a mere political stunt, aimed at garnering support for the ruling party rather than addressing the genuine needs of the people.

As the Prime Minister arrived in Bamenda, he was met with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. Many residents had heard about the government's plans, but they wanted to see tangible results. One local resident, Akua, expressed her frustration, "We've been promised so much, but what have we seen? The roads are still bad, the schools are still struggling, and the hospitals are still understaffed. When will the promises turn into reality?"

The Prime Minister's team was seen as being out of touch with the reality on the ground. During a meeting with local leaders, one official mentioned the construction of a new hospital, but a local resident pointed out that the existing hospital was still in disrepair. "We've been waiting for years for the hospital to be renovated, but nothing has happened. Why should we believe you now?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration.

However, amidst the sea of promises, one voice stood out - that of Pauline Nalova Lyonga, Minister of Secondary Education. In her characteristic frank manner, she cautioned government ministers to be realistic in their promises. "Let's talk about what we can do, rather than just throwing around figures amounting to billions of dollars. We need to be practical and focus on deliverables," she said.

Unfortunately, her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The other ministers who followed the Prime Minister made the same unrealistic promises that the government of President Paul Biya has been making since coming to power. They spoke of grandiose projects and massive investments, but failed to provide concrete details on how these would be implemented.

Interestingly, the Prime Minister himself seemed to have agreed with Minister Nalova Lyonga on the exaggerated nature of government activities when he narrated how a first government commission to assess compensation for damages on the expanded new road inside the city of Bamenda was pegged at XAF 600,000 million, while a second one requested by the World Bank was pegged at XAF 6 billion. This stark contrast highlighted the disconnect between the government's claims and the reality on the ground, further eroding the trust of the people of Bamenda in their leaders.

The Prime Minister's revelation was a rare moment of candor, and it underscored the need for greater transparency and accountability in government. However, it remained to be seen whether this moment of honesty would translate into meaningful action, or whether it would simply be another instance of empty words.

As the visit progressed, the government ministers spent a significant amount of time explaining why most deadlines had not been respected. They cited the security situation prevailing in the region as the main reason for the delays. It seemed to echo the words of a wise political scientist who once said, "The politician's promise is made to be broken, and the art of politics consists largely in the skill with which broken promises are explained away."

The people of Bamenda were unimpressed. They had heard it all before, and they knew that words were cheap. What they needed were tangible results, not just empty promises. A local business owner, John, shared his experience, "I tried to get a loan from the government to start a small business, but the process was too complicated. I've given up hope. What I need is support, not just promises."

The visit highlighted the deep-seated mistrust between the government and the people of Bamenda. The locals felt that their voices were not being heard, and that their needs were being ignored. A local journalist, Mary, noted, "The government only comes here during election time or when they need to show off their projects. Otherwise, we're forgotten. We need consistent support, not just photo ops."

Dingambong Anthony, Mayor of the CPDM-run Wum Council decried the poor road network between Bafut and Wum and the fact that Yaounde wasn't respecting its 2019 Decentralization law that made it mandatory for local councils to be consulted each time projects are to be executed in a municipality. Yet, close to 30 projects are being executed in his municipality without his knowledge. Shey Musa Nfor, Mayor of Nkambe Central didn't receive feedback on his plea for support for the reconstruction of an elementary school that was recently destroyed in his municipality. Meanwhile, Clotilda Andiensa, General Coordinator of the South West/North West Women's Task Force (SNWOT) regretted the fact that women and youths were not sufficiently consulted in the process of conceiving, designing and rolling out the PPRD.

Moreover, the Reconstruction plan, which was supposed to bring relief and development to the region, has ended up being another road to nowhere. The projects that have been carried out seem to be more like routine government initiatives, rather than a genuine effort to rebuild and restore the region. Worse still, many of the projects have been carried out in missionary institutions, which were originally meant to serve the less privileged. However, these institutions now seem to cater more to the children of the wealthy, further exacerbating the existing social and economic inequalities.

A key problem with the Reconstruction plan is its lack of focus. It has become a potpourri of everything the government has or intends to do in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon, rather than a targeted effort to address the specific needs of the region. This lack of focus has led to a scattering of resources and a failure to address the root causes of the crisis.

The plan's broad scope has resulted in inefficient resource allocation, with funds and personnel being spread too thin across various projects. This has made it challenging to measure the plan's overall success and impact. Furthermore, managing a diverse set of projects has added complexity to the plan's implementation, potentially leading to delays and difficulties.

To mitigate these risks, it's essential to prioritize projects, set clear goals and objectives, allocate resources efficiently, and regularly monitor and evaluate the plan's progress. By taking these steps, the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the North West and South West regions can maximize its impact and achieve its objectives.

But the worst part of the visit was when the Minister of Public Works declared that feasibility studies on parts of the famous Bamenda ring road, which President Paul Biya promised in 1987 to personally supervise, were still ongoing and spent time detailing what his ministry had transferred to councils as part of the Decentralization process that is never ending. 

To add insult to injury, the Minister of Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtes, announced a litany of projects her ministry had realized in Bamenda, including water points in virtually every quarter in the city. However, denizens of Bamenda couldn't attest to these claims, and it seemed like the minister was reading a script prepared for a different region since she herself confessed she wasn't prepared to talk at the event. Yong only had his eyes to cry.

"When one thinks of the fact that roads were destroyed in Bamenda here because government brought in a Chinese company to draw water from Awing lake that can supply the city of Bamenda and beyond and the project was suddenly abandoned after billions have been spent and today a minister is priding herself of providing boholes to the same city, the whole thing becomes a moodle."

The fact that the PM's  13-member government team left Bamenda without laying the announced foundation stone for the construction of the urban crossing and inner-city roads, as previously hinted by the PPRD's advance team and reported in various media outlets in Bamenda, attests to the fact that it's all about more talk and less action.

Despite the somber picture, Senators Regina Mundi, Fon Chaffah, Hons Njingum Musa, Gerald Ngala and Agho Oliver raised President Paul Biya to the high Heavens for coming to the rescue of the region despite the unrepublican attitude of some wayward North West youths who took arms against the state.

As the Prime Minister's convoy left Bamenda last Saturday July 5, 2025, the residents were left to ponder the effectiveness of the government's visit. When he last visited in 2021 and the thorny issue of the Bamenda municipal stadium was raised, he promised on his honour that immediately he got to his office in Yaounde, refurbishing works would begin. It would appear he finally behaved like Jesus Christ who promised the good thief who sympathized with him on the cross that verily he would be with him in Paradise the same evening but immediately he died and rose from the dead, he rather descended into hell. Had this other visit been a genuine attempt to understand the needs of the people of the North West, or just another exercise in political grandstanding? Only time would tell.

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