Mezam Anchors 2023 PIB on Transparency, People-Centred Approach

By Martial Gnoukapasi

PIB Mezam Follow up stakeholders in plenary

Stakeholders involved in the award and execution chain of public investment projects in Mezam division (of the North West region) have taken a firm commitment to ensure that projects delivered to the beneficiary population of the 7 sub-divisions that make up the division, fulfill their needs.

They took the commitment Thursday , January 19 during the 4th quarter follow up session, dedicated to evaluating the state of execution of projects allocated to the division in 2022.

Speaking at the meeting, the Commission Chairman who doubles as member of parliament for Bafut-Tubah Constituency, Hon. Agho Oliver, said it's time to promote and ensure transparency in the management of the Public Investment budget, respect the award procedures and terms involved in the project logbook.

This, he went on, will ensure projects are not just delivered on time but maintain their quality, beginning this 2023.

Hon. Agho Oliver delivering his remarks

He saluted the Santa and Bafut municipalities for emerging first and second in terms of project realisation for 2022, calling on other council areas in the division to sit up this 2023 so the division can regain its prestigious position of emerging first and second in terms of realisation in the region.

Mezam division, according to the divisional delegate of the ministry of the economy, planning and regional development Mawong Evelyn, benefitted a total of 94 projects.

Today, 78 of these projects which involve supplies, grading and tarring of roads, construction and rehabilitation of schools, health centres, supply of water and electricity etc, have been completely executed.

Ten awarded contracts are ongoing and six are yet to start, giving the percentage of physical realisation and financial engagement of slightly above 93% and 98% respectively.

Mezam Minepat DD Mawong Evelyn presenting figures of execution

According to the chairman "My real concern is to see these execution translated into community transformation because that's what is important to our people and make decentralisation possible."

Hon. Agho Oliver said the recommendations arrived at will go a long way to improve the performance of the division to attain 100% this 2023.

"We have arrived at the decision to have the key and main stakeholders to henceforth be present in our meetings. They include the quarter heads and the fons, religious leaders attend our meetings to attest that physical and financial percentages presented in the meeting correspond with what they have in their communities," Hon Agho Oliver adds.

2022 ratings in terms of council execution of PIB projects

In terms of performance for 2022, Santa Council ranks 1st in the execution of PIB Projects, scoring percentage of 96.90.

Bafut Council is 2nd with 94.83%, followed by Bamenda II with 94.58%.

Bali and Tubah councils are 4th and 5th with 90.34 & 89.99% respectively, while Bamenda I & III are bottom on the classification table with 82.61 and 78.69% respectively.

The Mayors of Bamenda I and III have been called upon to sit up this year.

statistics compared with that of 2021

The stakeholders also took another commitment to ensure that no credit card goes back to Yaounde this 2023 as has been the case in the past due to significant lapses in the follow up of award procedures by some project owners, control engineers, contractors and finance controllers.

He said henceforth commissions will be sent to the field at all times to see first hand projects realised to avoid the dubious idea of project owners saying they've executed projects whereas this isn't usually the case.

And for the first time in the history of follow up meetings in Mezam, accompanying pictures of the projects delivered to the people for 2022 were projected to the satisfaction and admiration of all.