The first steering committee meeting for 2012 held in Yaounde on Wednesday July 11.

Members of the Steering Committee for Rural Development set up to pilot activities geared towards accelerating rural development in all its forms in the various government ministries have described as satisfactory the committee’s balance sheet for 2011. They also expressed optimism that the future could be brighter given the projects at hand.

They made the appraisal in Yaounde yesterday July 11 during the first steering committee meeting for the year. The session among others, examined the activity report of the committee for 2011 as well as evaluate the state of advancement of the putting in place of Agropoles Programme through which rural development could receive a boost. Generally, the session, a routine yearly activity, evaluated the performance of respective administrations involved in rural development vis-à-vis development objectives put in place by the State in line with the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper.

Speaking during the ceremony in the Conference Hall of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (Minepat), the Minister Delegate in Minepat, Yaouba Abdoulaye, who is also the President of the Steering Committee for Rural Development, said ensuring that the rural milieu gets the required development was non-negotiable.

According to the 2011 activity report, non-conventional livestock contributed 1,800 metric tonnes to national meat production, 11,120 km of earth roads and 3,500 km of rural roads were rehabilitated in 2011 whereas 20,000 households in some 26 localities on Cameroon’s frontiers with Nigeria were electrified. These represent just a minute fraction of achievements of the committee contained in a 169-page 2011 activity report presented to members by the Technical Secretariat of the steering committee.