SW New Contract Boss Takes Office

Mr. Eugene Ewane, a Bio-chemist, has been installed as the new South West Chief of Centre for the Public Contracts Regulatory Agency (ARMP). He replaces the pioneer ARMP Agency head, Mr. Moussongui Fils Georges, appointed to other duties at their Yaounde head office.

The regional function has been elevated from Agency to Centre owing to the new prerogatives assigned to the post. As underscored by the Director-General of ARMP, Joseph Ngo, in his installation speech, the change of name is meant to bring contract regulation closer to the people and render the regulatory office more performing.

He said the new dispensation must bring about clearer rules to stakeholders of public contracts, better confidence for suppliers of material and services, more efficient public spending, and quickly detect defaulters of public contract rules at local regional level.

Mr. Bernard Foju, Head of Division for Security and Administrative Organisation at the South West Governor's office, sitting in for the Governor, officiated at the installation of the new ARMP Chief, 24 April in Buea Council hall, urging that projects earmarked and financed by the State must be effectively executed.

He explained that the public investment budget cannot be beneficial to the population without coherent, efficient and coercive mechanism for the award, execution and follow-up of contracts. As he recommended these actions for the new Chief of Centre, he promised the Administration's support for the accomplishment of the exalting duties of ARMP in Buea.

The Director-General of ARMP highlighted the importance of the role the Agency plays in the nation's economic life especially when it concerns public spending. For example, ARMP is assigned the mission of referee in contract awards in Cameroon whereby a total of 8,324 contracts have been allocated throughout the country this year for an investment budget of FCFA 132,857,379,448, Mr. Ngo explained. Of the total, the South West Region is due 569 contracts for CFA One Billion.