A new database software for local development (PRO-ADP) has been introduced for the better management and development of councils in the North West Region. Owing that the government of Cameroon is working towards ensuring that all the ministries get first-hand information about their services in the hinterland so as to carry out development, the PRO-AD P has come to solve the problem. More to that the PRO-ADP has also been put in place to curb the top-bottom approach in development, it will as well enable councils to come up with priority projects within their council area and enable them better present their concept note.

For the various council and MINEPAT officials to better understand and manage the system, a five-day workshop was organised recently in Bamenda by the National Community Driven Development Programme (PNDP). As curtains dropped last Friday August 9, 2013, the participants who were from all the councils in the North West region (except Bamenda I, II, and III) were schooled on the management and operation of the system.

As explained by the coordinator of PNDP for the North West Region, Syprene Sab, the PRO- ADP system is a revolution into the council system that will give information of every village within a council area all over the country with just a click of a mouse. He said the database will enable the councils carryout need assessment as well as provide information to whosoever is in need. He added that at every quarter of the year, the councils are expected to update their database, track governance issues in their councils, update their annual investment plan and medium-term expenditure and keep track of all council realisations.

Meanwhile, one of the main resource persons, Kolo Pascal, enunciated that for the five days the participants who also included Divisional Delegates of MINEPAT were schooled on the context of PRO-ADP and the link with the council development plan, presentation and installation of the software, as well as on how to enter data and update the software. He was optimistic that the participants have been fully armed to effectively kick-start the programme.