A BUDGET OF 16 603 791 871 FCFA FOR GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

Under the chairmanship of Mr. Paul TASONG Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, the National Community Driven Development Program (PNDP) just held the 11th session of its National Orientation and Steering Committee  at the  Yaoundé Congress Hall. For nearly four hours, the members of the Committee focused on the following issues that were reported by Madam Marie Madeleine NGA, the National Coordinator of PNDP:
•    Review of the report of the tenth session;
•    Review of the activities report of the tenth session;
•    Review of the annual work plan and budget for FY 2012;
•    Review of the updated allocation plan for the second phase;
•    Other matters.
In his opening speech, the Chairman, Mr TASONG made the overview of the context and issues of this meeting, then presented a brief review of the achievements of the PNDP. Later, he invited participants to spare no effort to create the conditions best to allow the PNDP to respond with more effectiveness to the problems of Councils and populations in 2012. After a short statement on the review of the tenth session report which was eventually adopted, the floor returned to the National Coordinator of the PNDP to locate the assistance on the progress made by the Program in FY 2011.
From this intervention, one could note that the PNDP actually provided coverage of the whole of the councils in rural areas of the ten regions of Cameroon in 2011. The Program has launched a vast operation that will increase the number of local councils with communal development plan by March 2012 from  154 to 329, that is all of the coouncils in rural areas of Cameroon.
Furthermore, in respect with support to local councils in the decentralization process, the PNDP has helped 248 municipalities have respectively of a financial agent to boost the revenue of the councils and an agent of development whose role is to accompany the municipal executive in the piloting of local development. To this report, must be added the continuation of equiping of councils with computers  and rolling equipment. Moreover, in collaboration with the CEFAM of Buea, the PNDP led special training for the benefit of municipal staff. Modules on national procedures for the award of markets and those of donors have been provided for the benefit of all of the communal commissions of the municipalities of intervention. In respect of the micro-projects, the Program has improved the impact of its intervention in bringing the number of accomplishments performed for the benefit of populations to 1133.
With the completion of the communal development plans of the four new areas of intervention and the finalization of the ongoing feasibility studies, more than 600 new micro-projects should soon be achieved.
 With regard to the budget and after different exchanges, it was adopted as is the sum of 16 603 791 871 FCFA, a relative increase of 18 per cent, distributed as follows by source of funding:
-    IDA: 6 917 524 443 FCFA, or 42%, corresponding to the amount indicated in the financing plan (4 820 800 000 FCFA) more (2 096 724 443 FCFA) to take account of the conclusions of the last missions of supervision of the Bank which has recommended to finalize the process of development of all of the SCI in the year 2011.
-    State (HIPC, C2D, MDRI, BIP): 7 102 313 836 CFA FRANCS or 43% corresponding forecast to cope with the volume of business in 2011. With regard particularly to funds C2D second generation, in addition to the classical PNDP, this category of resources will fund agricultural activities brought by the House of Councils and the implementation of a project of revitalization of 40 existing community radio and establishment of 15 local radio.
-    KfW: 1 920 152 789 FCFA, or 12% and for activities of phase I in the region of the far North;
-    Contribution of the beneficiaries: 638 800 803 FCFA (4%) for the financing of micro-projects.
On the issue of allotions, because of time constraints, Chairman TASONG asked that the subject be addressed in a next session of the National Orientation and Steering Committee.
The order of the day exhausted, the Chairman adjourned the meeting. In the PNDP, after adoption of the budget, the time is now to the action and achievements to live implementation of OCSG (Document of strategy for growth and employment) in its axis "Local development".