Code of Regional and Local Authorities : Implementation Effective But Still To Be Perceptible

Since the enactment of Law No.2019/024 of 24 December 2019 to institute the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, many keen political observers thought development championed by local authorities (Local, Subdivisional and City Councils)  was to immediately become very perceptible. This has not however been the case.
The Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam while presenting a balance sheet of the implementation of the law in an interview, said its implementation was immediate with regards to aspects such the City Mayors who were elected to replace the hitherto Government Delegates after the February 9, 2020 municipal election. With regard to more powers devolved to the councils, he explained that some need texts of application. The coronavirus pandemic, he further said, has come to deal a serious blow on the decentralisation process considering that the Ordinance signed by the President of the Republic, Paul Biya and that has also been voted in parliament readjusting the initial 2020 State budget has affected resources allocated to the decentralisation process. Still linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the Minister said, training sessions that had been programmed for all the actors of the decentralisation chain to enable them appropriate the Law on the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities have to be halted. This for reasons of respecting the restrictive measures put in place by government to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development despite the new socio-e...