Local councils in Cameroon are under mounting pressure to demonstrate effective use of public funds in an era of decentralisation, where government projects are increasingly evaluated on speed, transparency and impact. For communities in the conflict‐hit North West Region, where insecurity and natural disasters have slowed development, proving efficiency has been particularly difficult.
The Nkambe Council, under the leadership of Mayor Nfor Musa Shey, has consistently defied the odds. For the past five years, it has ranked first in project execution within the North West Region, ensuring that government investments translated into visible results on the ground from market infrastructure to classroom reconstruction and more.
This record was recognised nationally on 16 September 2025 when the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) named Nkambe among the Five Best Model Councils in Cameroon for 2024 Project Execution. The award, worth 50 million FCFA, was presented during a high‐profile ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé, co‐presided over by MINEPAT boss Alamine Ousman Mey, Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze, and the Minister of Public Contracts. The Member of Parliament for Donga Mantung Centre, Hon. Ngala Gerald, represented the Mayor of the Nkambe Council at the ceremony.
Speaking after the award, Hon. Ngala Gerald expressed gratitude to the Government, describing the prize as a catalyst for future development.
“We will use this 50 million to execute an income-generating project that will serve the youth, women, and internally displaced persons. Our goal is to create jobs and strengthen peace in Nkambe, because it is peace that has enabled us to execute projects effectively and reach this level of recognition,” he said.
The recognition not only crowns Nkambe Council’s track record of accountability but also strengthens its capacity to launch new community projects. Coming at a time when the municipality has just completed market sheds, rehabilitated schools, and rebuilt classrooms, the award injects fresh momentum into its development agenda.
He added that the award was also a justification for decentralisation, which President Paul Biya has put in place.
According to him, the initiative will encourage councils nationwide to follow Nkambe’s example in implementing projects transparently and for the direct benefit of their populations.
For the population of Nkambe, the 50 million FCFA prize signals continuity in tangible improvements to local infrastructure, services and livelihoods. At the regional level, the award places Nkambe as an symbols of efficiency in council management, offering an example of how determined leadership and collaborative governance can overcome crisis and deliver results.
This maiden edition of the MINEPAT awards highlights a new benchmark for councils nationwide and Nkambe’s place at the forefront reaffirms its role as a model of progress in the North West Region.
By Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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