The office of the public independent conciliator has carried out a campaign for the free obtention of civil status documents to the Bamenda II council.
Speaking at the Bamenda II council premises, the researchers from the office of the PIC stressed the need for the council executives and those at the civil status registration office to focus only on what the law says which is the free issuance of civil status documents.
The researchers led by Ndi Nelson- researcher Number one, were emphatic that the mission of the PIC was to see into the proper functioning of councils in accordance with the Law No 2019/024 of the 24th December 2019 to institute the General Code of Regional and local authorities.
Ndi Nelson-Researcher Number one at the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (OPIC)
The staff of the PIC challenged the council executives to dispatch their duties in strict compliance with the decentralisation code and avoid any discrimination.
Discrimination against the recruitment of staff in the council was cautioned against. Mayors must avoid recruiting only from their villages or quarters and also avoid allocating projects only to their villages.
Councillors were encouraged to look fervently into the spatial distribution of projects in the Municipality and ensure that it is shared across the entire municipality.
The campaign that brought together the staff of the council, councillors and quarter heads were told that council sessions are open to the public to fully understand the functioning of the local government, the allocation of projects and other social amenities.
Cross section of participants
Social amenities the PIC noted is not given to the population as a gift but as a right because as citizens, they deserve good roads, adequate shelter, portable water, electricity and other social amenities.
To the council executive, the OPIC was emphatic that the law is clear that no staff is permitted to volunteer to a council for more than two years. Council staff must have a work contract, stipulating clearly their salaries.
Salaries of council workers cannot be at the discretion of the executive.
The Mayor and his deputies were cautioned not to grant contracts to their immediate family members and even to themselves as it is prohibited in the law.
Those attending the workshop were thrilled to the fact that the office of the Public Independent Conciliator (OPIC) receives complaints only from users of council services. The complaints can be received either by writing or orally.
Those who lodge complaints at the OPIC were told that when resolving the disputes, both parties will emerge as winners and the OPIC doesn't reserve complaints from matters have been rules upon by the courts.
The OPIC further noted that it doesn't solve problems between two persons, does not handle land matters or issues amongst family members.
Bamenda II Mayor, Peter Chenwie saluted the move of the OPIC which seeks to ensure that the laws governing councils are fully respected for the general good.
Quizzed on the aspect of free civil status documents, the Mayor was categorical that the chain involved in the acquisition of the civil status registers and it's eventual distribution to the population requires some financial cost and cannot be borne by the council whose internal revenue collection even needs a boost.
At the close of the meeting, participants all agreed that the proper functioning of councils, everyone is needed on board and petitions should first be handled locally and if no amicable settlement, then the OPIC can be contacted.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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