By Neba Jerome Ambe
During a two-day evaluation workshop held on December 4–5, 2025, at the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) for the North West Region, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) voiced persistent challenges they face in accessing council services, challenges that stand in contrast to the protections guaranteed under Law No. 2010/002 and Decree No. 2018/6233.
The workshop, convened to assess the implementation of these legal instruments, became a rare platform for PWDs to articulate specific barriers and to work collaboratively with local authorities toward pragmatic solutions. Participants highlighted a spectrum of obstacles, physical, social, and administrative, that prevent them from fully participating in local governance.
Many council buildings remain inaccessible. Ntah Edwin, a participant living with mobility impairment, described several municipal structures as “an eyesore” for PWDs. “Multiple staircases and offices perched on upper floors make it nearly impossible for us to enter, let alone receive services,” he recounted.
Accessibility challenges extend beyond buildings. The absence of sign-language interpreters and trained communication aides leaves persons with hearing impairments unable to express their concerns at council offices. Participants reported relying on guesswork, intermediaries, or simply abandoning their efforts.
Some testimonies revealed the emotional toll of prejudicial attitudes from council staff. Kum Nji Desmond, who is visually impaired, shared a remark he once overheard: “This blind them don cam for wety for here.” Such language, he said, reinforces social exclusion and discourages PWDs from seeking public services they are legally entitled to.
Municipal leaders present at the workshop acknowledged the concerns as legitimate and overdue for action. Ngwakongoh Lawrence, Mayor of Bafut Council, emphasized the need for council budgets to intentionally include and reflect the priorities of PWDs. “These issues are pertinent and must be addressed,” he said. “Inclusion must be planned, not improvised, so that PWDs feel a sense of belonging.” His commitment mirrors a growing recognition among councils in the region that disability inclusion is not an act of charity but a governance responsibility.
In an interview during the workshop, Tamfu Simon Fai, Public Independent Conciliator for the North West, reaffirmed the PIC’s mandate to ensure fairness and prevent discrimination in public administration. “Our role is to ensure that everyone is equal before the law and no one is marginalised,” he stated. He urged council workers to abandon stigmatizing attitudes and embrace a rights-based approach. “PWDs must be treated with respect, not as though they have committed an offence. We must remember that any one of us could become disabled at any time.”
His remarks reflect a broader shift in Cameroon’s institutional discourse, from perceiving disability as a social burden to recognising it as an essential dimension of human diversity.
Beyond identifying gaps, the workshop focused on actionable steps: Improving infrastructure: Councils were encouraged to conduct accessibility audits and begin gradual modifications, ramps, ground-floor service points, wider entrances, and clearer signage. Investing in human resources: A proposal emerged for councils to recruit or partner with sign-language interpreters to support citizens with hearing impairments.
Strengthening staff capacity: Training on disability etiquette, service delivery, and inclusive communication was recommended as an immediate, low-cost intervention that could reduce stigma. Budget mainstreaming: Integrating disability-responsive planning into annual council budgets was highlighted as a sustainable pathway toward compliance with national laws. These solutions represent early steps, but participants described the workshop as a turning point, a shift from rhetorical commitments to practical engagement.
While the challenges faced by PWDs in the North West Region remain substantial, the workshop demonstrated a growing willingness among local authorities to confront barriers and co-develop solutions. The event also amplified the voices of PWDs, enabling them to shape the policies that affect their daily lives.
As implementation progresses, the success of these efforts will depend on continuous monitoring, resource allocation, and genuine partnership between councils, the PIC, and communities of persons with disabilities. The message from participants was clear: accessibility is not a privilege; it is a right. And fulfilling that right is central to building an inclusive, democratic, and equitable North West Region.
