By Fai Cassian Ndi
The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Lazare Essimi Mennye has installed members of the steering
committee of the Grassfield Participatory and Decentralized Rural Development
Project-GP DERUDEP Phase II. It was on February 12, 2014 at the Bamenda
Congress Hall that Essimi Menye commissioned into office members of the
Steering Committee and project management team of GP DERUDEP Phase II. The team
headed by the Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique is
expected to steer the grand orientations of the project for the next five
years. Besides, the project management team headed by Muluh Gregory also has
the task to implement the various project components in the beneficiary
communities. Unlike Phase I, Phase II of GP DERUDEP has sidelined some major
production basins in the North West Region. The case of the Kumbo irish potato
cluster, the Mbembe production basin and the high productive maize, beans of
the Nkambe plateau which have not been taken into the project account continue
to raise dusk. GP DERUDEP it should be recalled came into existence following
studies conducted by MIDENO in the year 2000 which indicated low level of
income in the rural areas. From 2004-2011, GP DERUDEP reached out to the rural
poor by providing seed material to farmers, capacity building to community
leaders, provision of potable water, classrooms for schools, community halls,
water schemes, slaughter slabs etc. some of the projects have not yet been
received by the communities. When Phase II was approved and protocol agreement
was signed between the African Development Bank-ABD and the Cameroon
Government, the rural poor were hoping to get the same largess but the project
concept had change. Even though ABD and Cameroon government rated GP DERUDEP as
the best project so far, development experts are of the opinion that the
steering Committee of GP DERUDEP Phase II would have to work an extra mile to
overcome the Santa syndrome that may likely chop its roots. This is so because
the project lays a lot of emphasizes in the Santa area especially with the
installation of an equipment pool at the former Santa Coffee Estate which has
been in dispute. Notwithstanding, GP DERUDEP Phase I was initiated to alleviate
poverty in the North West Region by 10% and with approval of Phase II, many had
hoped that its spillover effect will reach the nocks and crannies of the
Region. GP DERUDEP Phase II, as observed covers only some production basins in
some council areas of the region. The council areas to benefit include,
Widikum, Ndu, Zhoa, Santa and Tubah councils. Minister Essimi Menye said that
the Steering Committee of the project plays the role of the governing body of
the project making sure that government policy in the domain is strictly
respect, while making sure that the project implementation unit charged with
the execution of the project is living up to plans and expectation. According to
the MINADER Minister, the Steering Committee has as functions to streamline
project activities as well as follow the proper implementation to make sure
that the norms are respected. As to the role of MIDENO in the implementation of
the project, Essimi Menye was completely mute over it.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa
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