The National Participatory Development Programme (PNDP), the rural poverty reduction initiative and multi-donor programme to encourage local authorities to take charge of their own affairs in a spirit of financial empowerment, has demonstrated its expertise in the field of decentralization by publishing the English version of the book “Decentralization and local development: An analysis of the contribution of the PNDP”.
The presentation of the 430-page book was done at the PNDP headquarters in Yaounde last Friday in presence of press men. The ceremony, chaired by Marie Madeleine Nga, National Coordinator of PNDP, had papers delivered by Professor Clovis Miamo Wendji, Scientific Director of the PNDP book; Pr. Njong Mom, Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Bamenda and finally Dr Achuo, the editor of the book.
Decentralization constitutes the legal, institutional and financial means through which regional and local authorities operate to foster local development with the active involvement of the population. The PNDP Book has given detailed information about decentralization and local development and how the organisation has participated in it.
The book, according to Marie Madeline Nga, the National Coordinator of PNDP, is driven to help a wide range of persons “This book represents a toolbox which permits to capitalize the practices and what we acquired and developed for about 2 decades. It also represents a database for professionals of decentralization, universities, students and we have a database that we offered freely to all the state universities. We have witnessed a massive demand for the book.”
After the launching and dedication of the French version in August 2023, PNDP deemed necessary for the production of the English version to ensure “political correctness ,“ Prof. Nyong Mom, who is the Dean of the faculty of economic sciences in the University of Bamenda, said.
He said the book “Decentralization and local development: An analysis of the contribution of the PNDP”, is very much welcomed especially to the English speaking Cameroonians.
“The target is to have a greater audience because when it was only the French version, Anglophones could not read it. There’s one thing in the scientific community, when a document is in English, it has greater visibility in the international world.”
While talking to the press, he gave a brief explanation of what the book holds as relevance to PNDP and to their activities in Cameroon.
“The English version that has been translated has four major rubrics. It starts by describing the putting in place of PNDP, the National Community-driven development program created in 2004. It has passed through the first phase of poverty reduction strategy then it went on to the growth and employment strategy which has now become the national development strategy commonly called NDS30. PNDP accompanies the government in the decentralization process and local development. The book is a collection of scientific works by university lecturers who have used very rigorous econometric methods and economic modelling to use the data set captured by PNDP in 2021 to arrive at these findings,” he said.
He then continues by giving his remarks: “The findings reveal that PNDP has very successfully put in place the procurement process, it has succeeded in training personnel of councils, in putting in place infrastructures and development in the council and once the council personnel are well trained, this leads to good governance which has made PNDP an important instrument in the process and I want to show my appreciation for that.”
The PNDP Book is accessible to all Cameroonians, researchers, teachers, students, local elected officials, development partners, experts in decentralization and local development issues in both English and French Languages.
The National Coordinator reiterated that time and again, they have done a reduction of the price for the students willing to be educated be able to buy the book. According to her, performances and accomplishments of results, discipline, respect of hierarchy and team spirit are the secret of her long tenure at PNDP.
