The National Support Programme for Urban and Rural Youth, PAJER-U, has selected some 48 projects in the South West region to be funded by the programme to the tune of FCFA 19, 720.000. The refundable loan to the 48 youths is intended to empower them economically in tandem with the main objective of assisting youths in socio-economic integration.

The revelation was made by the Head of Mission for the Credit Committee and a senior official of the National Coordination of PAJER-U, Henri Aime Biheng, during a committee meeting at the Regional Delegation of Youth Affairs and Civic Education on September 16.

According to the Head of the mission, some 48 files have been selected throughout the region with a majority of them, 25, selected from applicants in the Bakassi zone while the rest twenty three files are distributed to the other five divisions of the region. This, the Head of the delegation who also doubles as Head of Monitoring and Evaluation for PAJER-U, said, is in fulfillment of the promise the Minister of Youth Affairs made to Bakassi youths while launching the 2012 National Day activities in Isangele. While one of the beneficiaries, a University graduate gets FCFA 1.5 million for what they termed junior enterprise, others get FCFA 400,000 each but for Bakassi beneficiaries who are entitled to FCFA 320,000.

The loans which are to be paid back without interest in 25 months have to be closely followed up by PAJER-U and MINJEC officials to ensure that the beneficiaries succeeds in the ventures and pay back the money into the State treasury for continuity. "It is a national investment and so we have to put our hands together to guide the youths towards success so that the vision 2035 of Cameroon emergence will be attained", Biheng reiterated.

The loan according to the Regional Delegate of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mrs. Susan Fende Lyonga will assist youths finance projects such as in agriculture and other micro projects. She emphasized that with the complete handing over of Bakassi to Cameroon, the youths there are given the pride of place so as to make them have a feeling of belonging.

Created in 2007, over 3,519 youths nationwide have benefitted from the loan scheme with 300 of them from the South West region.