The Public Independent Conciliator, Mme Telelen Dorothy Atabong Motaze and administrative and municipal authorities on the high table
The Office of the Public Independent Conciliator have met with Regional and Local Authorities to evaluate the state of local governance. The meeting held at the Buea Council Hall was attended by the Commissioner for Education at the South-West Regional Assembly, the Regional Delegate of Decentralization and Local Development, the City Mayors of Limbe and Kumba City Councils and mayors of the 31 local councils. Held on the theme “Office of the Public Independent Conciliator Concerting with Frontline Local Authorities to Assess Recent Progress Attained in Local Governance and Identify Challenges Encountered’’, the purpose of the concertation was to evaluate the state of local governance in the region as well as come up with resolutions to further improve it.
Mme the Public Independent Conciliator delivering her opening statement
Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Public Independent Conciliator, Mme Telelen Dorothy Motaze highlighted the principal objectives of the meeting; firstly, to deliberate on how to work towards the improvement of local governance and secondly, to spell out the objective and impartial criteria or methodology of assessing the state of relations between local collectivities or councils and citizens documented in the Annual Report. With regard to the criteria and methodology used to assess the state of relations between councils and citizens, she listed the primary sources of information input for the Annual Report namely from filed complaints to the institution or those registered during Town Hall meetings with community stakeholders, data analysed from questionnaires, field visit observations by the office staff and fact-checked media reports on council activities.
Some Lord Mayors present during the concertation meeting
Madam the PIC observed, on a serious note, the objectivity and fairness of the Annual Report produced by her Office while frowning at unfounded indictments and criticism brought by some Mayors on particular council shortcomings which featured in the 2023 Annual Report. She also used the opportunity to remind the Regional and Local Authorities that the institution is a watchdog working to ensure that social justice is upheld in all the 31 municipalities and two City Councils.
View of some Lord Mayors intervening during deliberations
After an in-camera working session, the PIC and mayors resolved civil status documents (birth, marriage and death certificate) should be free in all 31 Council and two City Councils. Users were urged again to respect the prescribed time frame set by the regulations. Mayors were counselled to be committed to executing public investment projects which will improve the living standards of citizens, thereby reducing social tension.
