North-West PIC Visits Mbaw Yakum Cultural and Development Association

Experts from the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) of the North-West Region paid a working visit to the Mbaw Yakum Cultural and Development Association on Sunday, 7 December 2025, in Bamenda.

The visit aimed at raising awareness on the existence of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator, its roles and missions, as well as educating the population on their obligations toward Regional and Local Authorities. The sensitization also formed part of the ongoing campaign to promote good governance within regional and local governance structures.

During the event, Barrister Yang Francis Fombi, Research Officer No. 2 at the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator, educated participants on the creation, organization, and functioning of the PIC. Barrister Dimla Hanson, Complaint Management Officer No. 2, took participants through the complaint management procedure, explaining how citizens can report maladministration and follow up their complaints.

In her presentation, Madam Nina Ambuban, Research Officer No. 5, highlighted ways in which citizens can actively participate in council actions and community development initiatives, in line with principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance in Regional and Local Authorities.

Several notables present expressed satisfaction with the visit, noting that the PIC’s intervention would help restore sanity and accountability in the conduct of Regional and Local Authorities. Members of the Mbaw Yakum Cultural and Development Association were equally pleased to learn that their community is represented among the staff of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator.

The PIC team responded to all questions raised by participants and provided clear directions on how and where the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator can be located.

Describing the sensitization as timely, the President of the House of Chiefs and Fon of Bambalang, Fon Yakum Kevin Shomitang II, emphasized that without adequate information about the PIC and a clear understanding of citizens’ responsibilities and those of local governance structures, effective participation in decision-making and accountability remains impossible.

By the end of the visit, members of the Mbaw Yakum Cultural and Development Association demonstrated a better understanding of their role in promoting local development and fostering good governance within their community.