Tourism and Leisure Minister, Bello Bouba Maigari has inspired North West Mayors and Secretaries General to develop the huge potentials of their council areas and emerge. It was the subject of a capacity-building seminar in Bamenda on December 15th and 16th, 2014. It was all about efforts towards the setting up of council and inter-council tourism boards of Cameroon.

In effect, Minister Bello Bouba Maigari was in the Chair when the Council staff were drilled on tourism as a catalyst for sustainable community development, decentralisation and transfer of powers in Tourism, creation and management of council or inter-council tourism boards, as well as the management of tourism projects at Council level.

It emerged from the seminar that knowledge, information and know-how on the subject is likely to revive councils' growth at the local level and improve the livelihood of the population. Participants acknowledged that tourism is a gold mine and a treasure, yet to be fully exploited for emergence.

From the look of things, the North West showcases a lot in touristic potentials. The land of Fons has a lot to offer in royal palaces, museums, lakes, mountains, caves, rare birds and forest attractions. Yet, there is little in income for development.

It was against this backdrop that participants saluted the Minister of Tourism and Leisure for the transfer of resources in the domain to enhance Councils towards the development and exploitation of certain touristic sites and parks.