South West: OPIC Notes Gains In Public Service Delivery

T he observations were made during the quarterly meeting of liaison officers serving with the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (OPIC), held in Buea on Friday, July 24, 2026. The meeting enabled the Public Independent Conciliator for the South West, Tele­ len Dorothy Motaze, to assess the delivery of routine and development services by councils through feed­ back gathered from communities. The liaison officers highlighted pro­ gress in areas such as the construc­ tion of farm-to-market roads, impro­ ved access to potable water and the installation of solar-powered street lighting in some rural communities. They also presented complaints from residents, including alleged ha­ rassment of traders by some muni­ cipal police officers and inadequate access to civil status services. Liaison officer for Kumba II Munici­ pality, Mboe Bertrand, said the offi­ cers monitored council services, in­ cluding civil status registration, to ensure citizens are served without illegal charges and to identify chal­ lenges affecting service delivery. The Public Independent Conciliator for the South West, Telelen Dorothy Motaze described the feedback as encouraging, and noted that commu­ nities are beginning to distinguish projects executed by regional and lo­ cal authorities. She add...