EU sponsored programme on PIB lauded

The Chief of Legal and Administrative Affairs of the South West Governors office, Bikie Bekolo has joined voices with parliamentarians of the South West Region to laud the European Union sponsored project to access the participation of Civil Society Organisations in the public investment follow up committee.

The project is being implemented by a Buea based Non Governmental Organisation, CHAMEG with support from the European Union Civil Society Strengthening programme.

The restitution forum for collaboration of the multi-stakeholders governance for improved physical and financial execution of projects in the Public Investment Budget, an activity in the project wrapped up in Buea recently at the parliamentarian flat.

The Governor’s representative while opening the forum said, “My appreciation goes to the Partners of CHAMEG, such as the PASC for being at the forefront of the project.

He said Cameroon is in its third year of the implementation of its programme budgeting, reasons why initiatives like these are welcomed by the Government.

Presenting the project, the Magdalene Agbor, Director of CHAMEG, said the aim of the project is to increase collaboration amongst stakeholders, build active citizenship and ensure more equitable partnership in the area of the execution of the public investment budget.

Magdalene Agbor then painted a picture of the Public Investment Budget in the Southwest from 2010- 2014.

The meeting was attended by the eldest Member of Parliament in the Country, Honourable Enow Tanjong, and Honourable Etombi Gladys amongst parliamentarians from the region.

In her intervention, Honourable Etombi Gladys frowned at the low representation of civil society organisations in the follow up committees of Public investment budgets.

Speaking earlier, the Governor’s representative who came only to open the session and leave, said he had to stay behind because of the quality of the discussions.

He added that next year CHAMEG through the Southwest Governor’s office will organise a similar meeting and that all Mayors will mandatorily attend.

At the end of the forum, the stakeholders and other Civil Society Organisations present took a series of resolutions to cause many more civil society organisations get involved in the monitoring of projects in the PIB.

The creation of data base, reinforcing punitive measures against fake contractors, capacity building for CSO’s etc was amongst the resolutions.