The State of the Process of Decentralisation in Cameroon

The pace of the process of decentralisation in a given context unavoidably depends on the degree of favourableness of the legal environment and the dynamism of stakeholders (especially of local authorities, the state, development cooperation partners and civil society). This paper seeks to inform on the state of the process in Cameroon by exposing its current legal environment, its constraints and the level of organisation of its key actors in relation to the legalenvironment. Drawing from this assessment, the paper assesses the shortcomings of the decentralisation process in Cameroon while arguing that the objective for embarking on decentralisation in each context varies with its promoter. In the case of Cameroon, decentralisation constitutes the legal, institutional and financial means through which regional and local authorities operate to foster local development with the active involvement of the population. Through the devolution of powers to local entities, local development could be enhancedand a contribution made to the fight against poverty. The assessment of the legal framework and of its stakeholders shows that the decentralisation laws passed in 2004 in Cameroon have local development and governance as their main thrust. The new laws certainly create an environment that represents an irreversible step forward for the process of decentralisation but are in need ofcompletion by the passing of legal instruments of application for them to effectively accelerate the pace of the decentralisation process and good governance. There is also need for better organisation and coordination of interventions of the stakeholders. The process is currently hampered by especially financial constraints on local authorities and limited capacities of the actors and beneficiaries of devolved powers. The paper concludes with a plea in favour of inter alia the strengthening of the capacities of all stakeholders through an approach thatis sustainable if the objective of decentralisation is to be met

Traditional Authority at the Crossroads of Governance in Republican Cameroon

The study shows that traditional authority is indeed at the crossroads ofgovernance in republican Cameroon. The citizen is bound by both modern law and traditional values; even if political theorists and leaders of republican institutions take objection to certain traditional values and seem to find difficulty over whether/how to formally integrate traditional authorities into the realm of the republic. Traditional authority incarnates a reassuring institutional stability and certainty to the masses, which elected officers (who come and go) do not provide in republican institutions. The vast majority of the population feels distant from the concept of ‘republic’ at grassroots level, where traditional authority remains the de facto institution of local governance. Based on empirical findings that highlight the important role that traditional authorities play in local development, the paper submits that traditional authorities should be formally integrated into the republican institutional setting by effectively constituting the first level of decentralized institutions of governance

Factors related to musculoskeletal disorders in quality control palm workers at palm purchasing establishments in Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Introduction and objective. The palm quality selection process has risks of problems in ergonomics. The aim of this research is to study the factors related to musculoskeletal disorders in quality control palm workers at palm purchasing establishments in Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Materials and method. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 50 workers with musculoskeletal disorders, as assessed by the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Disease, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. Ergonomic risk assessment was performed using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and the data studied with the help of descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Results. The sample included 96% of males with an average age of 34.2 years (SD=11.09). The participants used pickup trucks to transport palm oil from the plantation. 72% of the workers had worked at the plantation for 4.9±4.9 years; 54% did not work overtime. The average amount of palm oil collection for palm quality control was 23.5±11.3 tons/day. Quality control palm workers using sidecars (28%) were found to be moderately at risk, and those using trucks (72%) were at a high level of risk. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders after one year at work was 78%. The amount of palm oil controlled per day, working overtime, car type used for transport, and ergonomics risk level, were significantly related to musculoskeletal disorders in quality control palm workers (p-value <0.05). Conclusions. The results indicate a need for the top management and health-related personnel to promote occupational health and safety measures for quality control palm workers

The Metabolic Response of Brachypodium Roots to the Interaction with Beneficial Bacteria Is Affected by the Plant Nutritional Status

The potential of plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria in improving the performance of plants in suboptimal environments is increasingly acknowledged, but little information is available on the mechanisms underlying this interaction, particularly when plants are subjected to a combination of stresses. In this study, we investigated the effects of the inoculation with the PGP bacteria Azospirillum brasilense (Azospirillum) on the metabolism of the model cereal Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) grown at low temperatures and supplied with insufficient phosphorus. Investigating polar metabolite and lipid fluctuations during early plant development, we found that the bacteria initially elicited a defense response in Brachypodium roots, while at later stages Azospirillum reduced the stress caused by phosphorus deficiency and improved root development of inoculated plants, particularly by stimulating the growth of branch roots. We propose that the interaction of the plant with Azospirillum was influenced by its nutritional status: bacteria were sensed as pathogens while plants were still phosphorus sufficient, but the interaction became increasingly beneficial for the plants as their phosphorus levels decreased. Our results provide new insights on the dynamics of the cereal-PGP bacteria interaction, and contribute to our understanding of the role of beneficial microorganisms in the growth of cereal crops in suboptimal environments

A novel method to enhance the performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells based on polyacrylonitrile gel electrolyte and nanoparticles of ZnO with indoline D-358 as the dye

A novel way to overcome incomplete pore filling when using polymer gel electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells is herein described. The pores of the indoline D-358-coated ZnO nanostructure were first filled with the liquid electrolyte, the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) gel electrolyte was subsequently placed on it, and the quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell was fabricated in the usual manner. In other cells, the PAN film was subjected to hot pressing without the liquid electrolyte filling and pressing (without heating) with the gel electrolyte. Out of several different cell configurations studied, the cell containing hot-pressed polymer film without the liquid electrolyte gave an efficiency of 2.80% with D-358 dye while the introduction of a thin film of the liquid electrolyte followed by pressing the gel polymer film increased the efficiency to 4.31%

The Meta Indigenous Politico-Administrative System, Good Governance, and the Modern Republican State in Cameroon

Traditional or indigenous politico-administrative institutions, as opposed to those of western origin, appear to be regaining their once lost allure in Africa. Yet, it is not enough to simply extol or advocate a return to tradition. There is a need to examine the implicit hypothesis of such advocacy. Are traditional institutions truly capable of making a positive contribution to ongoing efforts to promote good governance and, ultimately, development in Africa? The present study attempts to address this question by analysing the traditional system of Meta, an acephalous polity with a tradition of autonomous chiefdoms and village-centric orientation, in the Northwest Region, Cameroon. A sample of village-level initiatives undertaken within the polity’s decentralized indigenous politico-administrative framework, and region-wide development projects under the auspices of centralized modern institutional bodies, are compared. Results show the indigenous systems markedly outperforming their modern counterparts, particularly based on outcome measures of good governance. This provides some empirical justification for recommending the incorporation of traditional institutions in the modern governance process in Cameroon in particular and Africa in general