MIDENO Presents 2023 Report Card to the Media

By Martial Gnoukapasi

GM Cletus Matoya flanked by director of technical services and that of finance

The Northwest Development Authority popularly called by it's french acronym MIDENO, has presented a balance sheet of it's 2023 activities to the press family in  Bamenda.

The annual press conference which has become a laudable habit of the structure took place Thursday December 21st at the epic event centre.

The General Manager of MIDENO - Cletus Anye Matoya, speaking to the Media men and women that answered present said "the purpose of this conference is to keep media abreast with the activities of the Authority for the past 12 months, highlighting the major realisations and also the challenges faced in the execution of the planned actions"

He said in order to mitigate the consequences of the crisis, characterized with the abandonment of farms in rural areas where the population has been displaced, MIDENO in 2023 continued with it's mission of standing by the farmers in terms of awareness raising, material and financial assistance at the start of the 2023 farming season.

Cross section of MIDENO staff at presser 

The general manager also remarked that despite the crisis, the farmers have been resilient, productive and their capacities undiminished. Reason why since the start of the crisis there hasn't been any food crisis in the region.

"That is why for seven years of  sociopolitical crisis and still counting, the North West has not run into food crisis" he said

The director of the technical department, hinted that the authority carried out interventions under eight main resource areas in 2023, which helped in improving farming and livestock activities, improve access on the farm-to-market roads etc.

He presented the following as  achievements of MIDENO for 2023,

- Stock of farm inputs worth 25million put at the disposal of farmers during launching of the 2023 farming season in Nkambe,

- 7.9 tons of Improved maize seed and 6 tons of solanum processed and put at the disposal of farmers in the 2023 farming season, 

- Over 750 farmers organized under 35 farming groups benefitted from the scheme, 

- Reception of 50million to promote the production and marketing of Cola Coffee with plans to set up a coffee shop for the product at up station Bamenda, 

- Over 516 persons with disabilities empowered educationally, and some with livelihood support packages, 

- Successfully rehabilitating 26.4km of  farm-to-market from mile 11 Santa to Lake Mewungne in Awing, 

- Elaborating projects like the Agrofam etc.

The administrative and finance director - Bawe Ernest Ndi on his part said, with 550million as functioning budget, the North West Development Authority was, through the efforts of the general manager , still able to achieve enough.

He said MIDENO with a staff strength of over 120 permanent workers with 50 temporal staffs have been able to pay the salaries of these workers with no pending areas. 

The structure was also able to realize 79 percent of it's budget and complete the cancellation of all it's debts.

He however regretted the fact that certain benefits like social allowances for current and retired staffs still poses a challenge to the institution. 

The physical and social security debts of the structure have been put to bed, with retired staff of MIDENO said to be benefiting from their old age pension already. 

For the 27 labour medals that the authority secured in 2022, 18 were awarded to staff in May this year.

The administrative expert suggested that staffs in Medino's trial and demonstration centres who are ripe for medals be given the opportunity to apply and receive them.

The Media outing by MIDENO presented an opportunity for the staff via their representative Mr Ndula Lawrence to thank the General Manager for his steady stewardship of the structure, working day and night to ensure a better working conditions since he took over 5 years ago.

On behalf of the staff, he thank Cletus  Matoya for  creating a working atmosphere where staffs are more conscious of their duties and obligations.

He regretted the fact that the year 2023 snatched a worker from MIDENO and also the spouses of two workers.

In appreciating the structure for decorating 18 of it's staff for 2023, he expressed desire for the staff packages to be increased in 2024.

The North West Development Authority with its French acronym MIDENO acts on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon in the North-West Region as the supervisor of development policy and providing a budgetary, financial and technical mechanism for development projects. 

It also has as mandate to organize  communities and promote the socio-economic environment, improving the living conditions in rural areas as well as conducting studies, researching on operations connected with rural development in the North West region