20/05/2020
EMIGRATION & EXPLOITATION
Uncontrolled exploitation of human and natural resources is a major problem plaguing some developing countries. Most multi-million firms are often given carte blanche by the local authorities to jugulate their natural resources and bleed the country dry without giving them any minimum condition to invest and provide their constituencies with some basic infrastructural needs. Hence leaving the local populations struggling to survive in pervasive poverty with no roads, schools or healthcare facilities fit for purpose -- in spite of their rich soil.
Such lacunas are commonplace in Cameroon, a country already weighed down by other impediments such as its heavily centralised administration concentrated in the capital, Yaoundé. Every local authority officials for instance, ranging from Governors to SDOs and the DOs are all appointed by presidential decree, with exception to the local Mayors who have limited powers yet overlooked by appointed Government Delegate officials loyal to the regime but not to the people.
A democratically elected local authority will strive to be more effective and efficient, knowing they were voted in by the people, and risk being voted out should they fail to deliver. It cannot be beyond the wit of any authority that their prime mission is the well-being of their communities which pipes through enhancing development in their respective constituencies. A relevant point that should be brought forth to those companies exploiting both the local resources, making and taking away billions day in day out.
There’s no doubt that any regionally elected body that under performs, will no longer have the luxury of shifting every blame on Yaoundé as it is currently the case. They would learn to own up their duties and responsibilities and make improvements if there are proper devolved powers and decentralisation.
Imagine how lucrative and profitable it would be for the Eastern region in particular and for Cameroonians in general, if the locally exploited timber was transformed in Batouri or Bertoua from concept to completion. The Chinese do impose similar conditions to every foreign companies wishing to settle locally, and nothing prevents Cameroon from copying the Chinese for the benefit of their people in that regard.
France had since 1981, introduced a decentralised system to ease the bottleneck and burdens on its initially centralised system with semi-autonomous regions from Auvergne to Bourgogne amongst others (13 in total today). Ran by their regional elected members, these regions are presided over by an elected regional presidents. Furthermore, they function with full extensive devolved powers on domains such as; Tourism, Education, Economic Development and Transport.
Suffice to say the devolved powers encouraged and enhanced countless developmental benefits to the regions, the people and even the country as a whole. Cameroon with several regions talk less of tribes could borrow a leaf from this, knowing their subservience to France.
Developing countries with the material means and manpower today can no longer make excuses for being relatively 'young states'. There has to be the goodwill from the onset to emulate and initiate the right policies that benefited other developed and developing countries. We once crawled with the excuse for being 'young states' together with Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong – known as the Four Asian Tigers. Today we’re no longer on the same par with those countries due to poor management, arrogance and nepotism coupled with poor leadership – which further takes us many years regressed, compared to the Four Asian Tigers.
Referring to the variety of regions in France, De Gaulle once joked how impossible it was for anyone to successfully rule a country like France with several varieties of cheese ranging from Camembert de Normandie to Crottin de Chavignol etc. Biya who Mitterand once coined as their "best student" (le meillure élève), knows well in his right mind that De Gaulles's catch phrase strikes a chord amid its humorous element. He knows the importance and benefits of devolving powers regionally, reason why decentralisation often makes headlines in Cameroon before disappearing in the forgotten rivers.
But Biya is fine with the status quo, so long as the pressure is kept away from him by his cohorts and by every means. The responsibility equally lies upon the intelligentsia, who in their right minds should dust off their intellectual hypocrisy stirred up with fear and favour - to see the dire need for a nation building in a bigger picture. A reshaped, reputable and respectable nation worthy of the name in the heart of Africa.
It is true that application can be more of the problem in Cameroon than the appellation. Both the 2006 decentralisation process and the hosting of the CAF 2019 are eloquent examples. The latter was implemented in theory but never in practice nor principle, while the former never took place despite all the vuvuzelas. Simply mentioning a cosmetic solution such as the “Special Status” to deep rooted problems without discussing the root causes with the concerned, is akin to winding up sensible people while winding time down the road. Which further raises despair and disdain that frustrates hopes and dreams.
The lack of willpower to put a crisis management strategic team in place to manage the anglophone crisis has undeniably placed Cameroon in a quarantined quagmire. Truth be said, the government's lackadaisical approach tinged with arrogance and intimidation will not remedy such a deep-rooted, complex and long lasting problems. It is the whole system that needs overhauling today with a genuine reconciliatory and inclusive dialogue among Cameroonians from across the board in order to restore trust, respect, peace and stability.
Only a genuine and inclusive dialogue to seek for a lasting practical solution could restore the much needed mutual trust and respect, and could potentially spur the country to rise from its ashes and shine once again. Suffice to say the 3 day rushed major national dialogue initiated in 2019 in Cameroon was more of a condition for Biya to fulfil in order to have an audience with Macron in Lyon, as was later confirmed by the latter.
There’s palpable evidence that Mr. Biya’s administration had long been planning to fail the people by failing to plan ahead on building the country we all long for. Yes Cameroon is still standing, but standing still in a culture of faisons semblant dans le vivre ensemble. Which in itself is disappointing.
Ben Bin-Meh
