Regional Development Plans : Master Plans Still Awaited

Within a month and a half, it will be exactly one year since the pioneer Regional Councillors were elected in Cameroon on December 6, 2020. During the ordinary session as of right that took place on December 22, 2020, the pioneer permanent Regional Council executives were elected, setting the ball for the Regions as local authorities to get into action.
The Regions as enshrined in the Constitution of 1996 have the mission to promote and consolidate economic and social progress through the harmonious, balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of the regional territory and optimise the exercise of the transferred powers.  All these have to be achieved through well elaborated Regional Development Plans.
As at now, the regions are still elaborating their respective Regional Development Plans. The Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam recently presided at the session for the elaboration of the Development Plan for the South Region and another session for the Development Plans of the three Northern Regions that include the Adamawa, North and Far North Regions.
Regional Councils are still at the level of preparing their respective Regional Development Plans at the moment they ought to use the plans to prepare their budgets for the 2022 fiscal year. The Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze and the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam on October 7, 2021 signed the Joint circular letter No.004211/LC/MINFI/MINDDEVEL of 07 October 2021 relating to the preparation of the budgets of Regional and Local Authorities for the 2022 fiscal year. On the chapter of investment expenditure, the circular letter stated that, “Concerning the Regions, pending the adoption of the Regional Development Plans, the investment pro...