The Kumba II Municipality was abuzz with activity as residents gathered at the Council for the local for a townhall meeting organized by the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator, South-West Region. The meeting held on Thursday, 31st July and on the theme, “Office of the Public Conciliator (OPIC): Fostering Collaboration between Kumba II Council and Community Stakeholders for Quality Services Delivery,” resonated deeply with the attendees comprised of the frontline council stakeholders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market vendors, bike riders, quarter heads, women groups.
The Representatives of the Public Independent Conciliator, the S.D.O of Meme, with the D.O of Kumba II, Lord Mayor of Kumba II Municipality and Research Officer No.1 singing the National Anthem at the start of the Townhall meeting
The meeting commenced with an opening statement from the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) represented by Fonju Bernard, who highlighted the importance of the meeting; which is to accompany the Kumba II Council to improve the quality of services delivery to users with the primary to promote local governance through citizen participation. The representative of the PIC also emphasized the need for collaboration between the Council administration and the population. “While the Council continues to work towards its statutory missions aimed at providing developmental services to the population within the framework of Government’s decentralization policy, our call is that users also play their role and contribute in fostering a user-friendly culture by fulfilling duties and respecting their obligations towards the Council in domains such as hygiene and sanitation, payment of taxes, acquisition of civil status documents and building permit. It is common knowledge that when everyone plays their role as in a team, adhering to existing regulations, it leads to a visible improvement in local governance and greater peace in the community. It is therefore the role of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (OPIC) to ensure this collaboration with decentralized local collectivities and the population who are their users”.
OPIC’s Executive Officer N0.5 doing a presentation on the rights and responsibilities of users of council services
The presentations which followed afterwards echoed this message, highlighting the missions of OPIC in accompanying regional and local authorities while portraying how collaboration between the Kumba II Council and the population can be improved if both parties exercise their rights and obligations. The discussion that tailed the presentation brought hygiene and sanitation, the issuance of building, and bad roads to the limelight as the main issues impeding the state of relations between the council and the population. The representative of the Public Independent Conciliator who skilfully moderated the discussion, ensuring all voices were heard, emphasized that collaboration is the key.
Participants following deliberations attentively during the townhall meeting
As the meeting concluded, the council authorities and community stakeholders took the commitment to work together. The Lord mayor of Kumba II Council assured residents that their concerns would be addressed, and the Community. The townhall meeting ended on a hopeful note, with residents, council authorities, and stakeholders united in their determination to enhance the quality of life in Kumba II Municipality.
