Reconstructing NW, SW : Social Cohesion, Confidence-building First

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) of the North West and South West Regions, Minister Paul Tasong and his assistant, Njong Donatus Fonyuy have just wrapped up the first-ever two-week awareness creation mission to the two regions to prepare the local population for the imminent execution of President Paul Biya’s plan.

Government has started raising funds for the plan that will run from 2020-2022 estimated to cost FCFA 89 billion. The field mission of the Plan officials kicked off in Bamenda for the North West Region on June 22, 2020 and ended in Buea for the South West Region on July 3, 2020.

Speaking in a closing press conference in Buea, Paul Tasong said the field mission was already the start of the execution of the plan considering that it was part of the preliminary activities intended to prepare the minds of the population. The crisis in the two English-speaking regions has not only led to the destruction of private homes and businesses, public structures and property, road infrastructure but has more importantly destroyed the social fabric of the society. Reconstruction and development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace and social cohesion and that explains the first step officials of the PPRD of the North West and South West Regions have taken.

The different working sessions between PPRD officials and administrative, political, traditional and religious authorities, as well as private individuals both in Bamenda and Buea helped to lay the foundation for the execution of the plan. The destabilisation perpetrated by the armed secessionists still continue though at varying de...