Transfer of Competences to Regions, Councils : Interministerial Committee Evaluates Path Covered

Within the framework of accelerating the decentralisation process by ensuring the transfer of powers and competences to Councils and Regions, the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam on September 30, 2022 presided at the first session of the Interministerial Committee on Local Services. Stakeholders at the get-together were presented with updates on practical terms and conditions for the exercise of powers in the first four decrees devolving powers to Regions signed on December 28, 2021 by some four ministries. The concerned ministries include Transport, Housing and Urban Development, Environment and Nature Protection, and Tourism and Leisure. 
Minister Elanga Obam who is also Chairperson of the Interministerial Committee, in his preliminary statement said powers and competences are being transferred to regional and local authorities as a means of ensuring social and economic progress of communities. While urging stakeholders to guarantee the implementation of the guidelines in the General Code on Regional and Local Authorities, he stressed that actions should be carried out with a view to operationalizing the Regions and contribute to fast-tracking and deepening the decentralisation process in accordance with the development policy of the President of the Republic. He added that activities should also align with the recommendations of the National Decentralisation Board. “We have discussed with actors intervening mainly in the process of transferring competences to Councils and Regions. Those who are working slowly were called on to accelerate what they are doing and those who are not working at all were called to start work...