By Bakah Derick
The June Session of the North West Regional Assembly is expected to open this Tuesday 26 June 2022 in Bamenda. The opening was Initially scheduled for Monday 25 July 2022 and postponed as a result of an information seminar organised by the office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) for the region.
This session of the Regional Assembly comes at the time residents are battling with prices of basic commodities. The increase had earlier been blamed on the ongoing armed conflict in the region and now the Russian-Ukraine War. Though the house has hardly carried out reflections on such issues, it is hoped that the regional structure will use it's June session to think of better ways of improving the livelihoods of the population.
Hilltopvoices economic consultants suggest that inflation rates in the region can be as high as 35% with little efforts from the state to handle the situation.
Mid Year Review
Since the session of December 2021 in preparation for 2022, the North West Regional Assembly has made outstanding pronouncements on what should be expected from the institution. Amongst the many issues raised are: Construction of the Institution's headquarters, Micro project grants for Regional Councilors, studies for a dry seaport, release of the Kidnapped Vice President, recruitment of experts to improve grassroots development in the region, as well as the implementation of the budget for 2022 which witnessed an increase from 3.5bn to 4.3bn francs CFA.
As it stands nothing has been heard on any of these including the state of budget execution for this year.
It is expected that light will be thrown on these issues alongside the declaration of the president during the pre-session presser relating to peace building and conflict resolution as focus for the session.
Matters of Education, Health, Economy infrastructural development, transport, Culture and Entertainment are yet to feature prominently on the house agenda. Should there be, it is expected that this session throws light.
During one of the session, the Secretary General of the assembly Peter Yerima, talked of acquiring school supplies and equipment, promoting small and medium-sized enterprises, inter urban public transport, rehabilitation and maintaining regional and divisional roads is among their priority. This is yet to be seen.