Private business operators grouped under the Cameroon Employers’ Union, GICAM have been implored to join the Presidential plan for the reconstruction and development of the North West and South West regions, PPRD-NW/SW.
This was during discussions which the Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, and over 200 members of the private sector had at the GICAM head office in Douala earlier this week. Dion said the rebuilding process of the two crisis-shattered regions needs the support of the economic operators.
The Head of Government in his speech detailed steps taken by government to ensure return to normalcy in the troubled regions including; the much-parroted but still to be effective special status accorded, creation of a reconstruction commission, organization of a dialogue, creation of a disarmament commission amongst others.
Dion Ngute told the investors that more and more members of the non-state-armed groups are heeding to the call of the Head of State, Paul Biya, and are voluntarily dropping their arms, joining the disarmament and reintegration centres for eventual reinsertion into society.
To dispel fears of mismanagement, the PM said the financial management of the project has been entrusted to the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and that companies can either channel their financial support through the UN agency or invest directly in some micro projects that benefit the communities directly.
Celestin Tawamba, GICAM President in response saluted the leadership exploits of the PM including his assiduity, accessibility and collaboration with the private sector, stating, that he is the first Star Building tenant to visit GICAM since the network was created.
Tawamba presented the results of a survey carried by GICAM whose results he said were published 13 September 2020, indicating a 86% lost (over FCFA 2.153 billion) in real property, rolling stock and furniture in the troubled regions.
He added that businesses in these regions suffered a turnover of about FCFA 269.056 billion with GICAM suffering an immediate loss of FCFA 5.9 billion in government’s tax revenues. Tawamba told the PM that aside the 6,434 jobs lost, there are also over 8,000 jobs in the formal sector that are threatened as per the survey results carried out in the agribusiness, local agro industries, telecommunications, coffee-cocoa sector, agricultural services and distribution sectors.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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