According to Stanley, he wouldn't have done much without the use of the media and believes he has realized or attained most objectives of the project; siding with the local populaion; keeping them abreast with what happens arround them, on issues of procedures or projects that concern the local man.
In was during a press conference in Bamenda that se selected men and women of the media were opportuned to learn about the impact the 20 months old project had created, in simplifying laws and policies that had to do with Land tenure and public contracts in the Northwest region.
"In the land tenure sector we have been able to solve the problem of ignorance. Create a land app which is easy to use and enhance information on how to access land tittles. We have reached communities through radios to ensure that the local population have improved knowledge on on this sector".
For public contracts sector, we focused on training community based leaders, creating platforms in communities, to monitor ongoing projects in the various localities in order to produce citizen controlled reports, alternative reports so that we can use for our advocacy because we believe there is alot of wrong doing in this sector." Tombir Stanley.
As the crisis evolve, many people are relocating from down town to upstation Bamenda, the rush in the acquisition of land warrant a system be put in place to identify lands that have been sold off or taken, in order to avoid double deals. The question as to whether the application created to access information can be use by all or easily manipulated still remains a worry.
NWADO says though the app is still in the android version, it is still under review. Stanley tells press about the challenges faced pushing through with the project.
"What is most challenging with the project is the fact that it is going on within a challenging Humanitarian crisis, going to the field to do work is sometimes difficult. Sometimes issues of public investment projects; some localities where peojects cannot be identified to know whether how many projects are ongoing, though a small council area is a huge problem".
"People have interest in community development, in order to have some projects improved. But the fear is there might be no encouragement or collaboration from public structures or authorities." Tombir Stanley explained.
Press Men in Bamenda
By Ndefru Melanie in Bamenda
67841536
Civiclens.info
ndefrumelany@gmail.com