Visionary Reports

Officials were in Douala on November 25 to prospects for sites to host the Littoral regional bureau.

Created by a presidential in 2017, the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism-NCPBM has as mission to promote bilingualism and multiculturalism in Cameroon. Created as one  of the solutions to the ongoing Anglophone crisis, the commission has very little to show on the field

Against this backdrop the commission members have embarked on a nationwide tour aimed at creating  regional offices so as to get closer to the people. Monday November 25 was the turn of Douala to prospect for sites to establish their regional office.

After a closed door meeting with the governor of the Littoral Region, the NCPBM members led by the Secretary General, Dr Chi Asafor Cornelius then went to the field to appreciate proposed sites.  One of the proposed locations was the former Douala I council office in Bananjo, where members couldn’t gain access into the compound but were able to observe from without. Another site was at the regional delegation of public contact in Bonanjo where the members were showed round the premises as well as offices where they would occupy if they finally accept the location.

After the site visit, the Secretary General of NCPBM, Dr Chi Asafor Cornelius told the press that the offices at the Regional Delegation of Public Contracts were more accessible and had enough space to accommodate the services of the NCPBM. He hoped that their services might be stationed there.

He also reiterated that their move to implant offices in the regional head quarters is in line with their plan of action to bring their services closer to the people and give them the opportunity to lay their complaints whenever they are discriminated upon in terms of language or culture. He added that deploying regional offices will go a long way to accelerate the promotion of bilingualism and multiculturalism and living together in Cameroon. After the North West, West and  Littoral,  the commission will in the days ahead move to the South West and latter to other regions of the country.

Despite these, opinion holds that the commission is a toothless bull dog as it has no powers to take decision. As per its duties, the NCPBM   submit reports and recommendations on issues relating to the protection and promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism to the president of the Republic and the government. Monitor the implementation of constitutional provisions establishing French and English as the two official languages. Conduct study or survey and propose measures likely to strengthen Cameroons Bilingualism and multiculturalism. It also has an obligation to popularize the regulation on Bilingualism, multiculturalism and togetherness.

With the creation of regional offices, hopes are high that their impact will be felt on the field.

 By Gina Esong