Under the chairmanship of Pierre Essomba, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, a budget of FCFA 1.2 budget was recently approved for the Local Government Training Centre (CEFAM) Buea for 2012. Of the amount, over FCFA 869 million is for recurrent expenses while more than FCFA 308 million goes for capital expenditure.

The Director of CEFAM, Mathieu Hagbe, presented the day’s agenda as the Board examined the plan of action for 2012 as well as an overview of 2011 activities in the centre. Alongside the budget, the Board discussed a partial report of 2011 activities and congratulated management for a job well done.

It is worth noting that the Board with complete representation from the various State departments was in its 68^th session. CEFAM, the lone institution that trains council staff in Cameroon, existed long before a 1977 decree restructured it, creating Cycles I and II courses as well as organising follow-up training. In April 2009 CEFAM graduated 123 students, the fifth batch of Cycle I and the 17^th batch of Cycle II. Under Mathieu Hagbe, a new curriculum has been worked out using foreign experts to strengthen graduating students’ skills in order to contribute to transforming local government institutions.