NW, SW : Special Status Soon Operational

The eighth Commission that brainstormed on Decentralisation and Local Development during the Major National Dialogue following the report presented on October 4, 2019 recommended, “the endowment of the North West and South West Regions with a special status in conformity with Section 62 Sub 2 of the Constitution which states that the law may take into consideration the specificities of certain Regions with regard to their organisation and functioning.” The Head of State, President Paul Biya took the recommendation into consideration when during the extraordinary session of Parliament in December 2019, government tabled a bill  to Institute the General Code on Regional and Local Authorities with the granting of a special status to the North West and South West Regions as one of its key peculiarities.  President Paul Biya went ahead to enact the bill into law with the promulgation of Law No. 2019/024 of 24 December 2019 to Institute the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities.  Section 327 (2) of the Law states that “The special status shall confer on the North West and South West Regions, a specific organisational and operational regime, based on the historical, social and cultural values of these regions, with due respect for the primacy of the State and national unity and solidarity.” 
Following the provisions of Section 328 of the law, the two regions will each in addition to the powers devolved to regions, participate in the formulation of national public policies relating to the Anglophone education sub-system, setting up and managing regional development authorities, participate in defining the status of traditional chiefdoms. The two Regions may be consulted on issues relating to the formulation of justice public policies in the Common Law Sub system, and may also be involved in the management of public service establishments in their respective territories. The implementation of the special status for the North West and South West Regions is expected to be effective in the coming months. This is because the election of Regional Councillors on December 6, 2020 will make the structures contained in the special status functi...