It was the last but not the least of seminars targeting stakeholders of City and Local Councils in the South West Region. After the Kupe Muanenguba and Lebialem, Meme and Manyu Divisions, it was the turn of authorities and officials the City and Local Councils of Fako and Ndian Divisions to be sensitized on the missions of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator vis-à-vis the expectations and roles frontline actors of these councils are called to perform in providing services to users.
The one-day seminar which assembled Service heads of Limbe City Council as well as Mayors, Service or Bureau Hwads for Civil Status, Hygiene and Sanitation, Revenue Collection, Urban Development and Municipal police from the seven councils in Fako Division and nine local councils of Ndian Division on Wednesday 19 April 2023, was an opportunity to discuss ways of improving service delivery at the level of their various municipalities.
The Public Independent Conciliator and the Senior Divisional Officer of Fako Division with Service heads and Bureau chiefs of City and Local Councils of Fako and Ndian Divisions
While opening the seminar, the Public Independent Conciliator, Mme Telelen Dorothy Atabong spouse Motaze in highlighting the missions of OPIC and its role to accompany local collectivities in the performance of their duties and respect of ethical obligations , said “proper attention, a fair and objective decision that guarantees social justice and protects users from discrimination” is the raison d’etre of the meeting which had as aim to reinforce collaboration with all stakeholders. In this regard, she urged the Service and Bureau Heads to perform their duties as spelt out in the missions binding their institutions.
Participants very attentive during presentation done by the Resource Person Mr. Fonju Bernard
In order to establish the link between their functions vis-à-vis collaboration with OPIC as well as the role they are called to play in providing quality services to users, Mr. Fonju Bernard, the Resource Person drilled the council stakeholders on the missions of OPIC, its domain of intervention, complaint making procedure, and areas of council priority services that can be sources of misunderstanding with users if ethical obligations are respected. They were also exhorted to avoid discrimination and extortion.
Those who perform the duties of municipal police were urged by the Resource Person to carry out their function with optimum restraint and little use of force. Mayors were equally counseled by the PIC to improve on the hygiene and sanitation conditions of markets by providing water points and toilets as well as building slaps for those who pluck or clean food items such as chicken.
Speaking to the press at the close of deliberations, the Mayor of Kombo Abedimo in Ndian Division Aboko Patrick said he is returning back to his municipality to make the Council-user friendly. As for Mrs. Mbwaye Eposi Florence, Mayor of Limbe I Council, the knowledge gathered during the seminar will enhance good governance in her council. “The relationship between my council and users will change. We have learnt how to better treat service users” she acknowledged.
