By Walter Wilson Nana
The Management of the Southwest Development Authority, SOWEDA, have been asked to begin work on a possible Rumpi Project Phase II.
Rumpi Project Steering Committee Chair, Bernard Okalia Bilai, who is the Governor of the Southwest Region made the request at the 13th Rumpi Steering Committee meeting, which took place at the Board Room of the Buea Chariot Hotel recently. “SOWEDA should count on the support of my office to ensure that the government and her development partners, especially the ADB, can build on the achievements and lessons learnt from this project by immediately putting in place a second phase,” Okalia told members at the meeting.
Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai addressing members of the Rumpi Steering Committee
According to the Southwest Regional boss, Rumpi Phase II will be timely and meet the aspirations of those communities that did not benefit from the first phase. “Agriculture is at the centre of our development prospects in the Region, across the nation and the Central African sub region. It is part of Cameroon’s Growth and Employment Strategy, so, we have to be hopeful that the project will continue to positively impact on the lives of our people as demonstrated during the first part of its operations,” he said.
While he noted the delays in the construction and rehabilitation of some 221km feeder roads in the Rumpi Project Phase I, which would have been concluding the project in May 2012, Okalia expressed satisfaction on the general success recorded by the project and its relevance to the local population. “We have testimony from the impact assessment report from the technical supervisory body, SOWEDA. The physical execution of the project is estimated at 84 percent, for a financial realisation of 76.2 percent of loan funds. Therefore, we are upbeat that the last request by government for an exceptional extension from the ADB will be granted. The ADB understands some of the realities on the ground,” he mentioned.
According to the Rumpi Project Coordinator, Besong Ntui Ogork, the funding from the ADB will end in May 2012 but that from the government will continue since there are some few road rehabilitation works and other community activities to be done with.
While expressing the wish to see Rumpi Phase II come to fruition, thanks to the fruitful partnership and relationship existing between the government of Cameroon and the ADB, Ogork invited the people of the Southwest Region to continuously participate in development projects and make decentralisation a reality in the Region. “Let’s participate and bring development initiatives to the Region and not just wait for projects to come,” he advised.
