Under the 2011 draft budget, the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicraft, MINPMEESA will be allocated FCFA 6,2 billion with FCFA 3,5 earmarked as the public investment budget while FCFA 2,6 billion will serve as the running budget. The ministry registered a 13,62 per cent reduction from its 2010 budget that stood at FCFA 7,2 billion.

Defending the budget last Monday before the Finance and Budget Committee of the National Assembly, Minister Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa said that resources will be dedicated to facilitate the creation of enterprises. In this regard, enterprise creation centres will be set up in Garoua, Bafoussam and Bamenda. Programmes aimed at mentoring, supporting and financing small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs will also be implemented alongside the upgrading of their levels of competitiveness. The Minister also said that construction works at the Ngaoundere handicraft village and the Yaounde International Handicraft Centre will continue while work will be launched on the Limbe, Maroua and Bafoussam handicraft villages. In the same light, the ministry will pay compensation to owners of land meant to host the handicraft villages in Ebolowa, Yaounde and Garoua. MINPMEESA will also back SME associations, craftspeople and social economy organisations with finance and materials.

Following the success recorded by the 2010 Cameroon International Handicraft Exhibition, SIARC, organised early this year in Yaounde, the ministry plans to carry out preparatory work for SIARC 2012 and organise regional handicraft exhibitions. These projects are part of the ministry’s mission to promote entrepreneurial spirit of enterprise and private initiative while supporting and overseeing small and medium-sized enterprises and handicraft activities.