The President of the North-West House of Chiefs, HRH Fon Yakum Kevin, has urged fellow traditional rulers across the region to actively collaborate with their communities and local development associations in crafting viable projects for submission to the North-West Regional Assembly.
Speaking to the press in an interview on the sidelines of Day Two of the North-West Regional Assembly’s June 2025 Ordinary Session in Bamenda, Fon Yakum reflected on the role of traditional leaders in shaping the region’s development priorities.
"This June session of the Assembly was dedicated to budget orientation debate. You just witnessed the report of the committees of the House of Chiefs who met yesterday, and after the report, we held our own session to examine the deliberations from the House of Divisional Representatives.” Fon Yakum explained.
According to the House of Chiefs President, the session provided a platform for traditional rulers to voice longstanding community concerns, including the lack of visible development projects in some fondoms, persistent security issues, and the inability of certain chiefs to reside in their palaces due to the prolonged conflict in the region.
"They have raised concerns about projects, concerns about security, concerns about traditional rulers going back to their palaces. These are not issues that touch only us in this House, but affect the entire region and even the nation.” he said
While acknowledging the frustrations of communities whose needs have not yet been met, Fon Yakum stressed that the path forward lies in preparation and participation.
“We are not happy that probably some of our communities don not have projects from the Regional Assembly, but we should make sure those communities have projects inserted in the 2026 budget.” he admitted
To ensure better outcomes in future budget cycles, the Fon called on members of the House of Chiefs to serve as catalysts for grassroots planning and action.
“Every member of the House of Chiefs has been called upon to work with their communities and the development associations of their fondoms to be able to develop and mature projects that will be submitted to the Regional Assembly,” he said.
His comments come at a time when the Regional Assembly is under increasing pressure to demonstrate tangible progress amid ongoing insecurity and economic stagnation in the North-West. By placing the responsibility partly in the hands of traditional rulers and local stakeholders, Fon Yakum highlighted the importance of collective effort in driving the region’s recovery.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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