Government allocated the subsidy to local groups and councils in the Littoral Region to enhance reforestation.
Some councils, chief’s palaces and organisations from across the Littoral Region have received government subsidies through the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to plant or replant trees as a part of the National Reforestation Programme. Agreements were signed between the Littoral Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife and beneficiaries on the occasion of the launch of the 2015 National Reforestation Campaign in the conference hall of the Governor’s Office in Douala on June 19.
After the launch, Ludovic Ngbwa, Secretary General in the Littoral Governor’s Office, led a delegation comprising the Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Douala City Council staff, mayors and other local administrative officials, alongside representatives of some civil society organizations, on a symbolic tree planting exercise. Mayor Denise Fampou of Douala II Council planted trees on the banks of a recently rehabilitated major drain in New Bell.
Beneficiaries of the subsidy include the Douala City Council, FCFA 10 million, Melong Council, FCFA 6 million and Ndom, Pouma and Yingui Councils, which each received FCFA 5 million. Meanwhile, the Mbanga, Douala II and Nkongsamba II Councils each received a million Francs. Others were “Le GIC Réalité Agricole du Cameroun,” “Le GIC PRESEC,” “L’ONG Littoral Floral,” “Le GIC AGEAN” and “Le GIC des Agriculteurs Eleveurs Banen Bagwanga,” each getting FCFA 3 million.
The choice of beneficiaries was dependent on councils signing forest reserve management deals with the councils, palaces, NGOs and associations, which had not received support before. One of the beneficiaries, Mayor Bati of Ndom, likened the support to the necessity to save a largely deforested municipality like his. “Forests are important revenue sources to most inhabitants who are on the verge of losing them to human activities,” he explained.
It is worth remembering that following Decree N°2012/A/MINFOF of August 21, 2012, the management of 43 forest reserves was transferred to some councils for sustainable management, ecotourism promotion and scientific purposes. It is also for developing new forest management tools.
