CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background To The Study

In tracing the history of the Buea council, the introduction of technology in the institution, and the impact of technology in the modernization of the institution, it is essential to note the following. The advent of the demarcation of the Cameroonian territory into municipalities can be traced as far back as the period of German colonization of the territory. With the annexation of Cameroon by Germany in 1884, they divided Cameroon into districts.

Buea was placed under the Victoria District Invalid source specified.. In 1886, with the goal of promoting hygiene and to foster economic growth, a twelve-man city council was created in Victoria. This council, first headed by King Bille William of Bimbia, served as a native court and as a town council for the Victoria District, to which Buea belonged (Invalid source specified..

After the eviction of Germany from Cameroon in 1915 during the currency of the First World War, Britain and France partitioned Cameroon, with the Victoria District falling under the British part of Cameroon. In 1916, the British renamed the Victoria District as Victoria Division Invalid source specified.. Between the years 1918 to 1922, the Victoria Division was divided into eight districts, with the local chiefs of each district serving as native authorities clothed with powers of councils. These eight districts included: the Bakweri Native Authority; the Victoria Native Authority; the Balong Clan Native Authority, just to mention a few Invalid source specified..

After the independence and reunification of Cameroon, the Native Authorities were transformed to Local Authorities, including the change from the Bakweri Native Authority to the Bakweri Council. Subsequently, in the year 1977, the Bakweri Council was dissolved, with the creation of the Buea Council as its replacement, by virtue of Presidential decree No. 77/203 Invalid source specified..

Since the creation of the Buea Council as an instrument of public administration in Cameroon in general and the Buea municipality in particular, there have been numerous changes in the field of technology, as technology advancement is on a rise. With this, the government of Cameroon has made much effort to ensure that these new technologies reach her institutions for public administration in a bid to guarantee modernism in the field of public administration in country. It is worthy of note that the Buea Council is not left out of this great moves of the State as it also enjoys a number of these new technological developments, thus creating much impact in public administration.

To guarantee the introduction of technology in the sector of public administration in Cameroon, as well as to ensure more positive impacts in that regard, the State of Cameroon has enacted several laws, inter alia: Law No. 98/014 of 14th July, Governing Telecommunications and its amendment of 29th December, 2005; Law No. 2010/013 of 21st December, 2010 on Communications and its amendment; Law No. 2001/ 0130 of 23rd July 2001 Establishing the Minimum Service in Telecommunication; just to mention a few Invalid source specified.. The latter developments in the field of technology in public administration in Cameroon are more in the field of communication.

Apart from technological innovations in the sector of communication in the field of public administration in Cameroon, the impact of technology in the modernization of public administration by the Buea Council stretches beyond information and communication technology, to other aspects like transportation, electricity, energy, capital, construction and to other spheres Invalid source specified.

For instance, in the sector of information and communication technology, a number of machines like computers, cellphones, laptops, just to list a few. With technology in the field of transportation, the Buea council has a number of vehicles and bikes. As aforementioned, these technological developments also extend to electricity, energy and construction. These will be elaborated upon subsequently.

1.2. Statement Of The Problem

It is true that the State of Cameroon, as well as the institutions for public administration in Cameroon have made commendable moves to secure the modernization of public administration in Cameroon through the advent of technology. For example, from the perspective of Buea Council, the impact of technology in the modernization of public administration has been significant, as evident in sectors such as information and communication, transportation, electricity, construction, just to mention a few Invalid source specified..

However, there is the problem of inadequate supply of technology as required for a sufficient modernization of public administration through technology in the Buea Council. This is evident in a number of aspects, especially the flaws in the information and communication system, transportation system, electricity.

For instance, it is owing to the insufficiency of computers in councils, including the Buea Council, that the U.S. based organization referred to as Technology Outreach Project, in collaboration with the US Montgomery County Public Schools donated one thousand computers to some schools and computers in Cameroon in 2008 Invalid source specified.. In addition to this, the situation of transportation technology in the Buea Council is not the best. A number of vehicles used by the Council are old and no longer roadworthy. Same applies to the sector of electricity, as the council lacks the appropriate technology for the guarantee of constant and uninterrupted power supply.

The above therefore prove that, despite the fact that the Buea Council and the State of Cameroon make significant moves towards the modernization of public administration in Cameroon in general and the Buea Council in particular through the impact of technological advents and improvements within the institution, there still exist the problem of inadequate supply of technology as required to meet a commendable modernization of public administration in the institution.

1.3. Research Questions

1.3.1. Main Research Question

To what extent is the impact of technology in the modernization of public administration?

1.3.2. Specific Research Questions

1. To what extent is technology provided to the Buea Council to improve on the modernization of public administration?
2. How effective is the impact of technology in the modernization of public administration in the Buea Council?
3. What challenges exist to the impact of technology in the modernization of public administration in the Buea Council?

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