Divisional Delegates and regional officials have committed to strictly enforce the law by ensuring that all towns have and respect their master plans.

Senior staff of the Regional North West Regional Delegation of Housing and Urban Development, MINDUH, and Divisional Delegates, have been tasked to strictly apply town planning laws in the development of the region.

The call came from the First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Bui Division, Dr. Mohamadou, at a recent meeting of the Regional Coordination meeting of Housing and Urban Development for the North West in Kumbo.

He said the holding of the meeting was an indication of the commitment and determination of the delegation to render quality services to the public. Dr. Mohamadou added that the coordination meeting was meant to evaluate and take stock of previous activities and to lay groundwork for greater success.

He urged participants not to spare any effort in working in collaboration with their staff and mayors to implement town planning laws. The Regional Delegate for Housing and Urban Development for the North West Region, Akechui Thomas Tamokum, said the coordination meeting in Bui Division was the first to take place in 2015.

Akechui Thomas Tamokum added that the choice of Kumbo was not a mistake as MINDUH has a strong relationship with Kumbo Council, which he described as “dynamic and pushful.” He congratulated the Bui Divisional Delegate for MINDUH, Kayim Samuel, for living up to the task; and the Mayor of Jakiri Council, Jaff Romanus, for putting into practice the advice of MINDUH.

This, he said, led to an increase in dues from building permits for the council from FCFA 1 million to FCFA 9 million in 2014. The Fourth Deputy Mayor for Kumbo Council, Yufenyuy Ibrahim, in welcoming participants to the meeting, paid tribute to Akechui Thomas Tamokum for selecting Kumbo to host it.

Yufenyuy Ibrahim urged them to come out with strategies that can foster local road development, especially the tarring of the road from Kumbo Squares to the Shisong Cardiac Centre. Among the resolutions and recommendations, the Councils of Bafut and Jakiri were urged to apply for land use papers and Divisional Delegates advised to remind Mayors to step up clean-up campaigns.

It was also agreed that all decrees concerning information on MINDUH should be in both English and French, and that all relevant associations such as draftsmen, drivers’ unions, planners and ‘buyam sellams’ should be identified and involved in town planning.