PIC Caravan Visits Kom Community in Bamenda
The outreach caravan of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) of the North-West Region continued its public sensitization campaign with a visit to the Kom Cultural and Development Association (KOCUDA) on Sunday, 5 July 2026, at the Kom Hall in Ntambag, Mankon, Bamenda.
The objective of the outreach was to educate members of the Kom community on the mandate, mission, and functions of the Public Independent Conciliator, while encouraging greater citizen participation in local governance and decentralized development.
The activity was introduced by Mrs. Nina Ambuban, Research Officer No. 3, who welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of public awareness in enabling citizens to effectively exercise their rights and responsibilities.
The sensitization featured three presentations:
– Research Officer Tilarious ATIA presented the creation, organization, and functioning of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator.
– Mrs. Nina Ambuban, Research Officer No. 3, spoke on the roles and responsibilities of citizens, particularly their participation in and support for council initiatives within their communities.
– Mr. Juli Yauba Bobo, Complaint Management Officer No. 4, explained the Office’s complaint management procedures and guided participants on how to lodge complaints with the institution.
Members of the Kom community expressed appreciation for the knowledge shared and actively participated in the interactive session that followed. They sought clarification on a number of issues, including measures that can be taken when mayors fail to perform their statutory duties, the Public Independent Conciliator’s follow-up mechanisms after receiving complaints, and the extent of community involvement in the planning and implementation of development projects.
Clotilda Andiensa Waah, An Elite of Kom
Participants also called for the revival of sanitation inspection services that once promoted environmental cleanliness and urged the Public Independent Conciliator to continue advocating for councils to effectively discharge their responsibilities. They further emphasized the importance of involving communities throughout the entire project cycle—from planning to implementation and evaluation.
The PIC experts responded comprehensively to the concerns raised, assuring participants that the Office remains committed to its open-door policy and is readily accessible to receive and handle complaints relating to the functioning of regional and local authorities.
The outreach concluded with a renewed commitment by members of the Kom community to engage more actively in local governance, while the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator reaffirmed its resolve to promote good governance, accountability, dialogue, and improved public service delivery throughout the North-West Region.