Abstract 

This study is based on the “Paradox of the implementation of decentralization policy in Cameroon: case study of Limbe II council”. The aim of the study is to examine the challenges faced by the Limbe II council in implementing the decentralization policy and Limbe II council. To access the role of supervisory authority over Limbe II council and to propose solutions to the problem of ineffective decentralization in Limbe II council.

Using  secondary data and through the prism of dependency theory, the study found out that decentralization policy left the people of Limbe II municipality unsatisfied as they preferred a centralized state to decentralized state through their opinion seen in the result of findings.

It was thus recommended that government has to transfer all the competencies and powers which it still holds to councils and train the local authority. At any time that the Limbe II council will possess and exercise all its powers to attain development, decentralization will be said to have commenced in that municipality.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the study

Decentralization is one of the essential institutional reforms efforts pursued in developing countries. This is often implemented by donor agencies, especially by the World Bank and the international monetary fund (IMF) and usually package together with attempt to minimize state intervention into economic activities and to liberalize market by privatization and deregulation.

Decentralisation is intended to bring numerous improvements and it is considered that decentralisation can contribute to fit her democratization, more efficient public administration to more effect development and good governance.

Decentralisation brings public services closer to the people who have opportunity to participate more actively in decision making process of local policies and activities than in centrally decided ones. Participation in turn contributes to improve accountability of public services, because people can scrutinize local government more closely than central government.

In 1989, there were sixty nine democratic countries, which grew to one hundred twenty-five by

2014. In 1989, 2.28 billion people lived in democratic countries, and by 2014, it has increased to 4.8 billion ( piccone , 2016, p.2). Such drastic increase led to decentralisation becoming widely recognized as an essential process for strengthening democratic practices in many countries around the world (Karmel, 2017, p. 1).

Shah and Thompson (2004, p. 1) pointed out that decentralisation has spread in the world as a silent revolution in public sector governance. Sub-national government across the world play critical roles in the delivery of basic public services and provide public infrastructure (Clos, 2015).Service delivery at the sub-national level has also assumed much importance in the mitigation of the wide variance in regional disparities.

Decentralisation influences in creating a conducive environment for sustainable good governance and efficient service delivery (Parr &Ponzio, 2002, p.2). The legitimacy of the state rests on the service delivery institutions that meet citizens demands (Girishankar, 1998, p,1).

The concept decentralisation refers to the transfer of authority and responsibility of public functions from the central administration to subordinate quasi autonomous government organizations and or private sectors. For any country, it is necessary to carefully analysed the scope of decentralisation before embarking on the real organization of financial, administrative or service delivery system.

Decentralisation is not however a new phenomenon in neither African politics nor a change as Cameroon is concerned (Nforbin,2005;112), as its roots could be trace as far back as 1922 with the creation of native courts by British .

Therefore, when African states gained independence, most possessed a measure of decentralised government but at independence, with the newly acquired monopoly of formal authority by political leaders at the central government, they sought to eliminate local autonomy (Kasfir, 1993;24) by fostering deconcentration rather than devolution so as to achieve their goals of establishing a centralised  states.

Some writes consider and or treats decentralisation  and local government as synonymous concepts (see Smith, 1985) for instance, he states that decentralised represents local government in areas where the authority to decide has been devolved to a council of locally elected persons acting in their own discretion with officials they themselves freely appointed and discipline.

Centralisation led to the progressive and constant ballooning of the central bureaucracy (Alima, 2003;43) and by the late twentieth century, the government bureaucracy had become too big and complex, leading to a lack of responsive and efficiency (Bevir,2009;27) This bureaucracy led to rising trends in strengthening local communities by developing certain powers of the state .Therefore, local councils establishments  expected to decongest the national government, act as a hedge against undue centralisation  and secure a closer adaptation of public services to local needs (Abangma,2009;1).

It is important to understand that decentralization is different from federalism in the sense that the decentralised collectively has autonomy but is not totally independent of the central government because the central authority exercises supervisory authority over the decentralised collectively.

In 1955, a new stage was reached with the legal distinction between two types of councils; the ‘’Commune De Plein Exercise’’ (CPE) where the municipal council was and in turn elected from within the mayor and his assistants were appointed. Such organisation prevailed until 1974, fourteen years after independence (Edou, 2010:9).

The 1974 reforms defined the council as a decentralized local government and legal person established by municipal councils, except in some major agglomerations into urban councils having distinct councils run by elected mayors (1974 law, Edou, 2010:11).

Cameroon constitutional law of 18th January 1996 enshrined decentralisation as a fundamental principles of the organization of state governance and subsequent implementation legislation affirms the central government commitment to transferring a number of powers to local authorities with a view to local management .

Local and regional authorities then appears as an essential link in the implementation of public policies at the local level. Their genuine autonomy in the financial and administrative matters is a necessary condition for achieving local development objectives .However a view of the existing literature reveals that these communities do not have sufficient power to make decisions, which is illustrated by mixed development at the local level.

The ministry of Territorial Administration is one of the 35 Ministries existing in Cameroon preparation, implementation and assessment of government policy on Territorial Administration ,decentralisation and civil protection is within the framework of the duties assigned to the MINATD .

It is the duty of the MINATD to organize the territorial administrative units and chiefdom and external services to organize national and external services to organize national and local elections and referendums in accordance with the constitutional law .By assuring the preparation and implementation of the laws and regulations and the maintenance of public order .The Ministry of decentralisation and local development is in charge of drafting of ,monitoring ,implementing ,and  assessing government policy on decentralisation and promoting local authorities.

According to section: 5 of the general framework of decentralisation states that;

• Decentralisation shall constitute the basic driving force for promotion of development, democracy and good governance at the local level.
• Decentralisation shall consist of devolution by the state of special power and appropriate resources to local authorities.

According to part 10 of the 1996 constitution, it emphasizes on the aspect of decentralisation by legalizing the creation of local councils and bring out their functions .It also spells out their jurisdiction and grants them autonomy that is power to make rules governing the municipality under the supervision of the central government.

The government of Cameroon  viewed decentralisation to involve the devolution by the start of special power and appropriate resources to regional and local authorities which  constitute the basic driving force for promotion of development , democracy and good governance at the local level .

The 2004 Bill on the orientation of the decentralisation concerned inhabitants to become resolutely involved in defining and managing affairs to their regional and local authorities fostering and promoting the harmonious development of regional and local authorities on the basis of national solidarity , regional , potential and international requirements in the areas of decentralisation.

This Bill of rights presents four major parts as follows; the principle of devolution (which lays down the procedures under which resources are devolved to the local and regional authorities for their socio economic welfare ), the organisation and functioning of regional and local authorities ( defines the functional mechanisms of the recipient authorities), supervision of regional and local authorities ( which indicates the central authorities and constituted bodies which supervise the institutions ) and monitoring organs of the decentralisation process indicating the bodies in charge of supervision.

It is worth noting that Article 55 (2) states clearly that “regional and local authorities shall be public law corporate bodies .They shall have administrative and financial autonomy in the regional and local interests .They shall be freely administered by councils elected under conditions laid down by law .

The duty of the regional and local authorities shall be to promote the economic ,social ,health ,educational ,cultural and sport development of the said authority .This already creates the understanding that the objectives of the policy of decentralisation in Cameroon is for development .It is important to understand that decentralisation is different from federalism in the sense that decentralised authorities collectively has autonomy but this autonomy is not sufficient .The territorial collectivities of the republic are the region’s and councils .Some fundamental principles of territorial decentralisation include;

• The concept of local affairs or territorial specificity.
• The principle or co-administration of the territory.
• The Principle of judicial and financial autonomy.

In implementation of these constitutional provision, three important laws are passed in 2004, including the law on the orientation of decentralization ,a study with a good knowledge of the objectives, stake, strategies ,tools and the actors of decentralization in our country (1996 constitution:26, 2004 laws Edou, 2010:12). The prime ministerial decisions of 2010 saw the first devolution of power to local authorities with 9 ministries, the second set in 2011 with 6 other ministries.

1.2. Statement of the problem

The assessment of the local framework and of its stakeholders shows that the decentralisation law passed in 2004 in Cameroon have local development and governance as their main thrust, it starts that “where a grouping of regional local authorities jointly exercise power over an area that is subject to devolution , such devolution shall benefit the entire grouping concerned on the strength of the deliberative body of each of the region .

But however ,the concept of decentralisation is still only superficially appreciated and felt by the local citizens as well as the Limbe II council .This is so because the Limbe II council still continues to face common and unusual problems that delay its effectiveness.

Despite the fact that local government are given the power or autonomy to make decisions but it still shows that local governments do not have sufficient power to influences decision making at some particular level. However, the case of Cameroon and the Limbe II council as a case study is not as obvious as one would wish .It is this issues that fuels this research; as we go to investigate what   hindrances there are to effective decentralization in the Limbe II council.

1.3. Objectives of the study

1. To examine the challenges faced by the Limbe II council in the implementation of the decentralization policy.
2. To assess the role of supervisory authority over Limbe II council.
3. To propose solutions to the problem of ineffective decentralization in the Limbe II council

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