Why President Biya’s Vision 2035 is a pipedream

In a few short years (22), Cameroonians are supposed to be enjoying the trappings and quality of life that go with an emerging economy. As defined by economists, an emerging nation is one which has achieved industrial capacity and is on the path to becoming an industrialized nation. For Cameroon, that would be a miracle of epic proportions. It hasn’t happened over the past 30 years. If anything the country has regressed; a condition the president blames on the downturn (since 2008) of the global economy. This argument has no merit because by his own admission “developing countries were least affected due to their minimal involvement in the global economy” (Cameroon Tribune Jan 3). In fact the emerging markets (the Asian tigers) were quite resilient and experienced unprecedented growth. They are well governed and have created the environment and infrastructure for economic growth.

If you ask the average Cameroonian what an emerging economy means to them, the answer will run something like this: I want to be able to travel easily and cheaply; have dependable clean water; enough food for my family; accessible and affordable health care, and a job or means of income to provide for my families’ needs.

Good roads or physical infrastructure are basic to development. They move goods, people and technology. Even with the potential for hydropower, investors are not going to flock to Cameroon without good roads. They understand that without infrastructure (roads, bridges, rails, rivers and canals) they cannot move their raw materials and finished products. This is not rocket science.

To the average Cameroonian reliable clean water is another important need. How many times have we read about water shortages in the urban areas? The rural areas are worse off. We all know that cholera outbreaks have been linked to poor or contaminated water supplies. At this time of the year (dry season) more than half the country, especially the northern section, is starved for water. I am not sure the situation will materially change in the next 22 years especially in light of the government’s track record.

In his New Year address President Paul Biya talked of energy being the sine qua non for development. I think his argument is warped and misleading. In the Cameroon context, good roads and reliable water take precedent. On the pecking order of needs, energy is a poor third. His argument for energy as a prerequisite for development although valid seems more of a justification for concentrating most impactful development projects in the Kribi-Ebolowa axis. As usual, his address was full of empty promises. In a way I admire Biya for being astute. He knows he has a gullible audience that believes anything he says. To most Cameroonians, the massive construction sites, power plants, factories and roads alluded to in his speech are an illusion.

The next great need to the Cameroonian is health care along with sanitation/hygiene. Health care is unavailable to many. Health care facilities are few and far between and ill equipped. Many deaths are preventable; the result of poor hygiene and sanitation exacerbated by contaminated water supplies. There is a concerted effort to train medical personnel and that is a good thing. But the medical personnel need the tools and facilities to do their jobs.

The average Cameroonian wants to be able to educate their children, to secure employment and take care of the rest of the (often extended) family. Over the past several decades education has failed to provide that pathway. Part of the problem, which the president admits, is that the educational system is no longer relevant in today’s competitive global economy. Emerging economies have emphasized the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) approach in their educational systems.

Families want to have enough food year round. Cameroon’s food security is a myth; a sizable proportion of the population goes hungry during the dry season. Moreover, food security does not only refer to quantity but to variety as well. The country has the capacity to be food sufficient given the rich volcanic soils. But like most things in the country, this capacity has been mismanaged.

Cameroonians need to make most of the goods they consume. The government’s role is to facilitate the transitioning process, from a largely subsistence economy to light manufacturing which defines an emerging nation. The government does this by providing the infrastructure and the environment including nurturing entrepreneurs. It is the private sector that creates jobs for an emerging economy. The Bonaberi–Mutengene corridor used to be a hub of manufacturing back when I was in Sasse (in the 1960s). We used soap, sugar, umbrellas and footwear made in this corridor. The Land Rover was assembled in Douala. Today we import the goods we consume, even toothpicks and fish.

Lastly, Biya and the 2035 Vision architects must realize that no nation ascends to emerging status with development and the attendant improved quality of life restricted to certain pockets of the country. There has to be a balanced approach involving and including all regions. Restricting development to the Ebolowa-Kribi-Douala-Yaoundé axis at the exclusion of the rest of the country will never achieve the intended goal.

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* Samba Tata can be reached at: [email protected]