Fight Against Unemployment: Gov’t Signs Convention With Local Councils

The agreement paves the way for establishment of Municipal Employment Offices (MEO).

A framework agreement has been signed between the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation and the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (UCCC) to launch the pilot phase of a project to establish Municipal Employment Offices (MEO) nationwide.

The convention was signed January 24 in Yaounde. Ministers Jules Doret Ndongo and Zacharie Perevet signed on behalf of the central government, while the President of the UCCC, Hon Emile Andze Andze signed on behalf of the mayors’ union. 

The MEOs, placed under the authority of councils with technical assistance from the National Employment Fund, is going to be in charge of developing and implementing employment policies at the local level. They will serve as an information and guidance center for jobseekers, self-employed citizens in the informal sector and people looking for job mobility or retraining.

The Offices are also expected to develop partnerships with other institutions involved in local development. This includes institutions like the National Community Driven Development Programme (PNDP), Integrated Support Program for Actors of the Informal Sector (PIAASI), Program of Support to Rural and Urban Youth (PAJER-U), Special Fund for Equipment and Inter-communal Intervention (FEICOM) and the National Civic Service for Participatory Development.

Involved in the trial phase of the project are the c...