The Mayor of Nkambe Council, Musa Shey Nfor, has attributed the municipality’s growing recognition in hygiene and sanitation to community participation, peace and collective responsibility, following the council’s return from Maroua with three national awards.
The local development agent and one of Cameroon's finest workaholics presented the awards to the Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele Lafrique Deben Tchoffo, during a reception at the Governor’s Office in Bamenda on Friday, October 17, 2026.
The awards recognize Nkambe’s performance in local development and sanitation, including its ranking as Cameroon’s third-cleanest council. The council also received recognition as a model council for its implementation of the 2025 program.
Addressing the governor, Musa Shey Nfor said Nkambe’s achievements were the result of years of community commitment to cleanliness rather than the efforts of any single political leader.
“Cleanliness starts with the individual, the home and the community,” the mayor explained, stressing that the council’s progress had been driven by a population that understood the importance of maintaining a clean environment.
He said Nkambe had continued to uphold the tradition of community sanitation, with residents, traditional authorities and local leaders working together to sustain the municipality’s record.
According to the mayor, peace has also played a crucial role in enabling the council to pursue its development objectives despite the challenges facing the North West Region. Musay Shey Nfor noted that other councils might have equally committed mayors and development-minded leaders but could struggle to achieve similar results because of prevailing insecurity and instability.
He commended the governor, the President of the North West Regional Assembly and other regional stakeholders for their support, particularly through development initiatives that have benefited Nkambe and surrounding communities.
Three awards, development funding
Presenting the awards, the Nkambe Council chieftain said the delegation had returned with three recognitions, including financial allocations intended to support development projects in the municipality.
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The first was the 2025 Model Council Implementation Award, conferred on September 22, 2026, in recognition of Nkambe’s performance in executing the 2020 Public Investment Budget. The award came with a special allocation of 50 million FCFA for a project in the municipality.
The second recognition was Nkambe’s third-place finish in the national clean-city competition held in Maroua. The council received a project allocation of 60 million FCFA.
He further explained that Nkambe had first emerged as a divisional representative before competing at the national level. The divisional representatives received 3 million FCFA each, bringing the amount associated with the clean-city competition to 63 million FCFA for Nkambe. The delegation also presented a symbolic map of Cameroon, which the mayor described as a reminder of national unity and pride.
Musa Shey Nfor thanked the governor for mobilizing a high-level delegation to support Nkambe during the competition. The delegation included the Secretary General of the Governor’s Office, the President of the Regional Assembly, the President of the House of Chiefs, the City Mayor and other council mayors, alongside traditional authorities, including the Fon of Mankon. He said the regional administration’s involvement demonstrated that Nkambe’s achievement was also a victory for the entire North West Region.
Youth employment at the heart of development plans
Beyond celebrating the awards, the mayor said Nkambe Council had already begun identifying projects to benefit from the allocations, with a particular focus on young people, internally displaced persons, vulnerable groups and minorities.
He explained that the council intended to use the available resources to create opportunities for young people to participate in sanitation activities and other community development initiatives.
Musa Shey Nfor said the projects would also promote peace by giving young people constructive roles in their communities and reducing the frustrations associated with unemployment. Referencing the community dialogue held in Bamenda on Thursday, October 15, 2026, he said the council was determined to translate calls for peace into practical local action.
He argued that local authorities should not rely solely on the Head of State, the Prime Minister or regional officials to address unemployment, but should use available resources to create opportunities within their own communities.
For the Nkambe mayor, the awards represent more than trophies or financial allocations. They offer an opportunity to strengthen public confidence in peace as a foundation for development. He also insisted that sustainable progress requires the involvement of all stakeholders, warning against individuals or groups taking sole credit for collective achievements.
Governor challenges Nkambe to aim for national title
In his remarks, Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique Deben Tchoffo congratulated the people of Nkambe and their council leaders for maintaining their record in hygiene and sanitation over nearly a decade.
He noted that Nkambe had repeatedly performed well in regional competitions before securing third place at the national level this year. The governor said he had sent a strong delegation to Maroua to accompany the Nkambe team and expressed hope that the municipality would win the national title at the next World Habitat Day celebration.
He urged the council to use the recognition and resources received to improve sanitation and raise its performance, particularly as other towns in the North West Region were preparing to compete for similar honours.
Tchoffo also encouraged Nkambe residents to sustain their commitment to cleanliness and ensure that the municipality remains competitive when the region hosts future sanitation and urban development activities.
The governor extended his appreciation to the government, particularly the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, for supporting local development initiatives.
He also cited Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute’s October 15 visit to Bamenda, during which the Head of Government inspected community conditions and key development projects before participating in a community dialogue.
According to the governor, the visit demonstrated the efforts being made to address local challenges despite the difficult circumstances confronting the region. He said the North West Region remained committed to finding local solutions to local problems, particularly in the execution of development projects.
Concluding his remarks, the regional chieftain congratulated the people of Donga-Mantung Division, especially Nkambe residents, for their sustained efforts and for bringing recognition to the North West Region at the national level.
The mayor’s presentation and the governor’s response underscored a shared message that Nkambe’s sanitation achievements must now translate into tangible improvements in community life, youth opportunities and local development.
#Laarry Times
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