The mini-plants have already been tried in Batibo, Jakiri, Wabane and Dschang.

The energy shortfall in the country demands more creativity and best practices in the management of existing facilities and exploitation of local potentials to develop cheaper and less cumbersome micro-hydro projects. This was the highlight of a recent workshop in Bamenda on the decentralised management of clean energy.

To thank for the initiative was the local energy generating organisation, ADEID and its German partners, Bread For the World, who are convinced that with the inability of existing power grid to meet the growing needs of the population, renewable energy programmes are the way forward. The Director of ADEID, Michel Takam, told workshop participants that his organisation runs a development programme for renewable energy and some infrastructure like community micro-hydro plants, biogas, solar and wind, with models already operational in Dschang in the West Region and Wabane and Menji in the South West Region.

It was against this backdrop that the event mobilised and trained stakeholders on the management of decentralised energy structures. It was also about raising awareness among local municipalities for decentralised energy systems, with stakeholders encouraged to develop private systems in their communities. The challenges of developing decentralised clean energy featured prominently, with the disclosure that councils and municipalities are better structured to handle such projects for sustainability.

Curtains dropped on the event with local stakeholders who included Mayors, public and private institutions, administrative and traditional leaders, national and international organisations sensitised and equipped for various renewable systems. It was also a moment for municipalities to reflect on the added value of decentralised energy and the development of local green economy, including agricultural processing, creation of jobs for youths and women and opportunities for the improvement of municipal revenue. Noa Bidzogo Andre Marie of the North West Governor’s office, presided the event and challenged stakeholders to accept the programme by developing micro-hydro plants that are cheaper and could help enhance local agro-industries and attract international investors.