Gov’t uses 7.4% of public investment budget

As at June 30,2016, the under utilisation of the public investment budget so criticised in previous years, was not the case. As was already the case at the same period last year, the rate of commitments already made by government agencies against this budget exceeds 50% (in 2014, it was at 36% in the third quarter).

According to internal sources at the Ministry of Economy, this rate rose to 59% at the end of June, 7.4% higher compared to the same period under review last year.

Mathematically, during the first six months in 2016, the Cameroonian State claims to have financial commitments earmarked for investment of over FCfa 800 billion, out of a total 2016 public investment budget of FCfa 1526 billion.

According to government officials, this progression observed in the utilisation of the public investment budget is due to the strategy of permanent consultation of all the different actors involved.

But on analysis, this boost to utilisation of the budget in Cameroon is more due to the speeding up of infrastructure projects linked to the organisation of the female African football championship that the country is hosting in October and November 2016, then projects in the Three Year Government Emergency Plan whose implementation was delayed in 2015.