North West: Roadmap For Community Dialogue

T he Prime Minister, Head of Go­ vernment Chief Dr Joseph Jo­ seph Dion Ngute formally laun­ ched the community dialogue process for the North West Region in Bamenda on October 15, 2026. After the laun­ ching ceremony at the regional level, the community dialogue train has to move to the seven administrative Di­ visions of the North West Region, then 34 Subdivisions and villages. Since the regional launching of the process, there has not been percep­ tible hustling and bustling in the Di­ visions. The various actors are cer­ tainly brainstorming on measures and mapping out workable strategies that are adapted to each locality. Whatever local strategies are being put in place, there is a general road­ map defined by government which specify actions to be taken on the field for the non-State armed separate fighters to drop their arms, get out of the bushes, reintegrate into normal life, contribute to diverse development actions and give peace a chance in the once buoyant North West Region which is now shaken to its foundation by the close 10 years of security crisis. Prime Minister Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute during the launching ce­ remony of the community dialogue in the Bamenda Congress Hal stated, “I therefore invite all of you to adhere to the instructions of the Head of State for community dialogue to be organized together with the admi­ nistrative authorities, civil society leaders, traditional rulers, religious authorities, economic operators, wo­ men and youth groups to bring the remaining fighters out of the bushes. I am here to assure you of the support of government, specifically President Biya’s support.” He identified the key actors and instructed Senior Divisional Officers to organise the community dialogue process in each Division, Subdivisional Officers to follow suit in their administrative areas of com­ petence. The community dialogue process has to taken right down to villages. Each Senior Divisional Officer have the duty to send a report to the Governor every two months on how the community dialogue process is unfolding. “The dialogue is between our com­ munities and the boys who are figh­ ting,” the Prime Minister told North West stakeholders. The core of the dialogue is contact with the fighters. “We have to talk to them. Identify best resource persons who can best talk to the separatist f...