Cameroon :RUMPI Project Asks For Extension To Ensure Full Implementation

By Christopher Ambe Shu
The FCFA 17 billion Rumpi Project -placed under the Southwest Development Authority, SOWEDA, has requested for the extension of its execution period by one year in order to ensure full implementation of its activities.

The Rumpi Project, conceived for a six-year life span, kicked off in 2004,with the goal of reducing poverty in rural areas of the Southwest region by increasing their incomes in a sustainable manner, through improving agricultural output as well as their socio-economic environment.

But with just one year remaining, the physical realization of activities stands at 40% and financial realization at 25 %, said officials who attended the Project’s 8th Steering Committee that met last July 22 in the Conference Hall of the Delegation of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Buea,to evaluate the progress of the poverty- alleviation project and further strategize.
According to Rumpi Project Coordinator, Ogork Ntui Besong (pictured), “we have already written to the African Development Bank (ADB) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) in Yaounde, asking for the extension of its execution period।”


The Project is jointly financed by the African Development Bank (ADB 75%), Technical Assistance Fund (TAF 8 %), Government of Cameroon (GOC15%) and the beneficiaries (2%).

“ If we have an extension by one year we will finish project implementation by June 2011”, the Project Coordinator told reporters after the 8th Project’s Steering Committee, which now has as new Chairman, the Governor of the Southwest Region.

Mr.Ntui Besong said even though the project has so far realized only 40 % of its physical realization, project implementation will rapidly increase within the time left.

Dr Andrew Eneme, General manager of SOWEDA, who chaired the 8th Steering Committee on behalf of the statutory chairman (now the Regional Governor), said there are projects in the pipeline which when carried will cost more than 50% of the total cost of the RUMPI Project. Dr Eneme cited some water schemes that will consume over FCFA 500, and road construction estimated to swallow about fcfa4.5 billion. He added that several markets had already been constructed and that more were still under construction. “ I am sure if all works well, with the time remaining we shall achieve our goals, living up to expectation”, he told reporters

The slow execution of the Rumpi Project could be attributed, among other factors, to the fact that the ADB had once suspended the disbursement of funds to the Project when it realized that the former project management was not fully complying with its directives.

ADB disbursement only resumed after the coming in 2007 of a new project coordinator, Mr. Ntui Besong, who worked extremely hard to regain the confidence of the ADB.

The Rumpi project covers the six Divisions of the Southwest Region of Cameroon.