NW/SW Reconstruction, Development : Manyu, Meme, Ndian Meet Paul Tasong’s Team

The third day of field consultations by the PPRD National Committee revealed more facts about the Presidential Plan to rebuild the conflict-stricken Anglophone regions of Cameroon. During separate meetings with three other administrative Divisions of the South West Region on July 1, 2020, the National Coordinator, Paul Njukang Tasong, underscored that palaces which are not exclusive properties of the traditional rulers but hold communities together must receive due attention in the reconstruction plan. Paul Tasong told Manyu, Meme and Ndian Divisions that the plan had as its first mission to restore the dignity of the people of the area especially those who had fled their homes and had become like beggars in hosts towns. He explained that the Plan only had some FCFA 8.9 billion in its bank account at the moment but intended to quickly raise FCFA 90 billion for its first phase. This was in reply to questions raised as to how soon the first houses would be built for homeless refugees to return to areas where houses were razed.

The PPRD National Coordinator said they had two years for the first phase and would involve the empowerment of women and the youth as priority. Outlining the components for rehabi- litation, the Coordinator underscored that the administration, public associations and individuals constitute the three components in the plan. This means that public buildings destroyed like schools, hospitals and bridges under the administration, churches and associative structures under associations and individual homes would be rebuilt even better than what they were before the destruction. For work to take off, Regional Coordinators must be named and Paul Tasong already hinted that the on-going field consultations were also a process to choose persons of timber and calibre who would create their own network to facilitate the reconstruction.

Concerning the data and statistics being presented, the Nat...