In a bit to facilitate Cameroonians understanding of how public money is managed by the state and making information around budget accessible to all, every year Citizen’s budget will be published, Ministry of Finance – MINFI has promised. However, baffling to many is the amount set aside for decentralization amid rising unresolved crisis in the three regions; North West, South West and the Far North regions.

The released document details everything around The Citizen’s Budget for 2021. Besides decentralization cost, it highlights key figures of the 2021 finance law; context and assumptions of the 2021 budget; 2021 budget priorities;  2021 tax measures and spending directive; budget resources; budget expenditures; expenses allocations; and how this 2021 budget was prepared.

According to the document, in revenue and expenditure including CFAF 4,670 billion for the general budget and CFAF 195.2 billion for the 12 special appropriation accounts, the State Budget for the year 2021 stands at CFAF4,865.2 billion. However, as compared to the 2020 amount of amending finance law of 4,632.7, it increases by 232.5billion CFAF.

While 18% of State revenue that is CFAF 590 billion is devoted to decentralization, CFAF 232.7billion has already been transferred to the already decentralized local authorities, the document indicates.

Meanwhile, of the general budget, the state own revenue amounts to 71.7%, that is CFAF3.479.7billion. Critics have blamed the deficit which stands at CFAF 661.7billion to this “exaggerated state revenue” and extra expenses on situations not permissible like on decentralization and reconstruction amid rising crisis.

Drawn up in an economic and social context the 2021 budget is marked by the Covid-19 that hit nearly every country in the world; speed up of decentralization process; continuation of work towards the organization 2021 CHAN and AFCON competition; and persistence insecurity in North West, South West and Far North regions.

In its priorities of the 2021 finance law as outlined in the Citizen’s Budget, the Government envisages to: implement the presidential plan for the reconstruction and development of crisis hit regions; completion of all major first-generation project; accelerate decentralization; and to continue implementation of special Three-Year Youth Plans among many others.

Some paved, asphalt, main, rural roads and motorways will benefit construction, rehabilitation, maintenance or at least asphalting from the investment budget. In the water domain, boreholes will be equipped, drinking water supplied network constructed and some rehabilitated. Photovoltaic solar system will be supplied in hundreds localities, the citizen budget indicated.

In the health domain, five (5) hospitals will be constructed, two renovated and more than 200 health facilities renovated as well. While in the justice sector two prisons will be constructed and rehabilitated and twelve court complexes equally constructed.

Details can be found at www.dgb.cm