NW Regional, Local Authorities: PIC Satisfied With Improvement In Performance

The Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) for the North West Region, Tamfu Simon Fai with regards to the functioning of the Regional Assembly and 35 Councils in the region has expressed optimism when he says, “The future looks promising as councils are gradually adjusting to the new normal, which is the era of good governance.” He spoke in Bamenda on February 24, 2026 during the publication of the 2025 Annual Report of the Office of the PIC. Staff of the PIC adopted a mixed approach to collect survey data for the report on the functioning of Regional and Local Authorities. There were quarterly reports from the 35 mayors and councils, interviews and discussions, 7,000 questionnaires administered in the 35 council areas, 67 questionnaires to Members of the House of Chiefs and Members of the House of Divisional Representatives, investigations, 420 monitoring reports, as well as group discussions. After the data analysis and findings, Mr Tamfu Simon Fai said, “The Office of the PIC is positive that with continuous education and sensitization, and the growing awareness of the masses of their role in local governance, councils will definitely have to adapt to required standards of functioning and would start delivering in a manner consistent with their missions.” Talking to the press after the publication of the report, he declared, “I am satisfied from the survey because there has been marked improvement from the performance of 2024. Good governance is eating into the fabric of councils in the North West and I am very proud of that. I am recommending the persistence in this good governance. There are still a lot of things to be done and I want the councils to persist in good governance so that the population can be happy.” The 281-page report points areas that have to be worked on and corrected. In the Regional Assembly, there is weakness in cultural heritage protection, the institution still barred from recruiting permanent workers, Members of the House of Chiefs and House of Divisional Representatives continue to complain that they are engaged in deliberation and adoption of projects but were excluded from conception and execution. Further more, Commissioners are inadequately equipped to fulfill their functions, unclear legal framework and absence of a local public service code. Both for the Regional Assembly and Local Councils, there is delay in...