In line with the actions and missions of the Upper Nun Valley Development Authority, UNVDA in ensuring food security, and its role in the economy of the North West and West regions, the new Board Chair of the corporation, Dr.Ngwana Sama Bernard has been tasked to without delay revitalise the establishment and contribute to the national rice production vision by 10% before the end of 2020.
The instructions were given by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, MINADER, Gabrielle Mbarobe. He was speaking during his maiden visit to the crisis-hit North West region since his appointment in an occasion to officially install the new UNVDA Board Chair in Bamenda Wednesday August 19, 2020.
Minister Mbairobe urged the new Board Chair to consolidate existing achievements and instil new impetus to obtain better results, collaborate with SEMRY, a sister company in the Northern regions and strive to meet government’s 2020 roadmap through MINADER aimed at increasing national rice production by 10%.
« Your appointment comes at a special time when the UNVDA, the main secular arm of the state in the development of the rice sector in the Northwest and West region is going through a difficult period, marked by an increasingly fragile socio- political and economic situation, » said Minister Mbairobe.
Aside increasing rice production, the new Ngwana was challenged to seek quick solutions and implement actions to enhance food security in the North West region and Cameroon at large, revitalize rice cooperatives, promote farmers’ access to agricultural machinery, optimise the use of existing rice fields while opening up new ones, complete the implementation of UNVDA’s institutional organizational, financial and technical restructuring plan.
This the Minister said can be achieved by creating and consistently increasing the corporation’s own resources, aligning the company with the 2017 law on public establishments, working with institutional partners as well as economic operators and ensuring focus on objectivity and selflessness, dialogue and consultation and the quest for performance in his reign.
While urging him to draft and submit a strategic development plan for UNVDA, the MINADER boss charged the new board chair to maintain good working relationship with his hierarchy, technical supervisory authority and the financial supervisory authority, MINFI, in line with provisions of Law No. 2017/11 of July 12 2017 on operational status of public institutions.
Speaking after his installation which was attended by many development stakeholders of the region as well as administrative authorities, Dr, Ngwana promised to live up to the expectations of hierarchy.
« We have to create many jobs, increase what is on the field and increase food security, by producing more rice,” he promised, adding that with the abundant fertile land in the North West and West Regions that UNVDA covers, rice farmers will be invited to intensify and extend production by cultivating upland rice.
The seasoned and experienced 66-year-old Ngwana Sama Bernard, born November 16, 1954 in Balikumbat, Ngoketunjia Division of the North West Region replaces Tikela Kimone who died May 1, 2020.
Dr. Ngwana has held several positions notably the Director of MIPROMALO, Attaché at PM’s office in the Division of Infrastructure and Technical Affairs, SG MINADER, SG Chamber of Agriculture among many others. He has also been board member of GCE, CDC, Nuclear Energy Commission, MIPROMALO National Investment Fund, HIEFER International Consultative boards.
To recall is the fact that the UNVDA was created by presidential decree No. 78/157 of 11th May 1978 as a public institution with a legal status and financial autonomy placed under the technical supervision of MINADER with responsibility to develop and maintain paddy rice, construct and maintain irrigation and drainage infrastructure, sensitise and build capacity of farmers, open and maintain access to roads, multiply seeds and agricultural extension, facilitate the processing and marketing of farmers’ produce and improve living conditions in rural areas through appropriate actions.
