The Divisional Delegate of Decentralization and Local Development for Kupe Muanenguba, Louis Nasama Netomba has sensitized the public on Decentralization and its evolution in Cameroon.
The delegate was speaking on November 10, 2025, on the occasion of the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at his GRA Bangem office, presided by the Senior Divisional Officer of Kupe Muanenguba, Nguia Beina Theophile.
He said the 1996 constitution of Cameroon which was put in place by Law No 96/06 of 18th January 1996 to amend the constitution of 2nd June 1972, is the basic text on Decentralization in Cameroon.
He added that Section 1 (2) of the law provides that “the Republic of Cameroon shall be a Decentralized Unitary State,” which means Cameroon operates both a unitary and a decentralized system of government.
Netomba disclosed that the unitary system of government is centered on the notion of one and indivisibility of the state, and problems of over centralization, administrative bottlenecks and tribalism arose.
He further disclosed that government brought the notion of Deconcentration with the objective to bring administration closer to the people by breaking down the technical services of the central administration into regional, divisional and to some cases, sub divisional delegations to represent the various ministerial departments of the region to facilitate public service delivery.
According to Netomba, Decentralization on its part is defined in Section 5(1) of Law N 2019/024 of 24th December 2019 on the General Code of Regional and Local authorities, as “the devolution by the State of some special powers and appropriate resources to Local authorities.”
He revealed that in order to fully implement decentralization as was provided in the 1996 constitution, some laws were voted in 2004 to provide guidelines on the operationality of the whole decentralization process.
The delegate also mentioned Law No 2004/17 of 22 July 2004 on the orientation of decentralization, Law No 2004/18 of 22 July 2004 to lay down rules applicable to councils and Law No 2004/19 of 22 July 2004 to lay down rules applicable to regions.
The MINDDEVEL Kupe Muanenguba also stated that before the 2004 laws, the law makers had on the 15 July 1987 through Law No 87/15 of 15 July 987, set up City Councils to enrich the landscape of councils in Cameroon. He said the advent of the unitary decentralized state in 1996 led to the repeal of both texts by Law No 2004/17 of 22 July 2004 to lay down rules applicable to councils.
The delegate further educated on the general code of regional and local authorities, the creation of city councils, and the creation of the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development in 2018.
He said the arrival of this ministry reflects the fresh impetus that the government intends to give in deepening the decentralization process in Cameroon.
At the end of his three-page presentation, the SDO saluted the delegate and collaborators for a successful ceremony.
The next flag hoisting ceremony has been programmed for November 17, 2025, at the Divisional Delegation of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT.
By Olive Ejang
