THE VISION-BEARER MODEL OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EMERGENCE IN LINE WITH
VISION 2035.
Vision 2035 is an envisaged path put forth by the president of Cameroon to lead this young nation to emergence.It is a timeframe for growth but can it also be a timebomb?
Vision 2035 can be viewed and speculated upon in two major dimensions. One as a prophesy and the other as a fantasy. Given the various socio economic and political constrains still very much visible in our economy today in domains such as education, infrastructure, agriculture, industry financial markets, and political quagmires plaguing at this point in time of the vision it seems evident that if some crocket lines are not made straight, generations to come will use this era as an example of failure and we have failed too much to fail again.
In the domain of education the fact that the present educational system is not viable to provide for current global competitiveness is a major problem. Young Cameroonians pass through educational systems which at the end have certificates most at times being backed by the ink and institutional stamps and not the realities of the practical world. While the global world still focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as a prerequisite for emerging economies we go about education without a particular model, drive or need to solve a particular issue plaguing our Nation and this becomes the ultimate reason for unemployment.
Infrastructural networks such as roads railways, bridges and canals are grossly insufficient and this has gone a long way to cause ripple effects to the Nation as a whole for it is an important aspect of development as people, goods and technology are to be moved through the various communication terminals. It also stands as a major attraction to investments, foreign investors and thus culminating to an increased GDP and in effect increased economic growth which is linear to the V. 2035.
Looking at Agriculture the country as a Whole has so far worked hard to create a standard for it in the country which due praise is given it in that domain to the government. However no matter how you mix the dough it never rises unless you add yeast. Very important developments still holds this sector down such as the lack of an agricultural bank, insufficient infrastructure (farm to market roads) that can enable a reduction of production cost and little machinery that can increase the productivity of farmers still mostly practicing rudimentary methods. Much is still needed to transform this base from subsistence in to a commercial agricultural base and involve the youths into this activities as mentioned by the president in His youth day speech of February 2012.
Talking of industry the main cry of Cameroon as a Nation is the lack of a Business model with which the nation can function by. There is no clear cut modeled activity designed by the country to be followed as development plans. For example if the country can put in place a 3 year business model focusing on say grain cultivation nationwide, this will have ripple effects on the economy as within this period processing industries will pop out, employment will be a call of concern and GDP and economic growth altogether will step up. Also the need of policies to attract the engagement of business driven Cameroonians into the sector are highly needed and this is believed to be on going as promised by the head of state in His New year eve’s speech, for the characteristics of emergence nation begins with light manufacturing and a high degree of industrialization.
Delving into financial markets it is no news that strong Financial system and Nation is one in which its financial markets and financial institutions stand strong. For the past years the nation has been greatly lacking when it comes to financial market development which is essential in lobbying for the much needed funds needed to be allocated into various economic sectors. The Douala stock Exchange which had to be an active portal of fund allocations from deficit fund units to surplus fund units through the provision of short and long term investments has not fully measured up with this task and much is expected from it. Its failure can be traced from its inception where bringing a whole new concept of stock exchange to a young nation, it went ahead to issue long-term equity shares which are risky whereas it could start by issuing short term securities to assess or rate the risk appetite of the nation. Without financial markets, borrowers would have difficulty finding lenders themselves, and these structures are seen as platforms for economic prosperity of nations, especially in Africa. (Ndedi and Ijeoma, 2008)
Lastly when political cooperation which is a fundamental aspect for rapid growth of nations is absent, the nation automatically lags behind in each and every other aspect of its growth. Reason why making it look like a fantasy is normal. There is need for unity in this domain.The origin of politics can best explain this concept. Political quagmires have fostered slow development because once a portion of the population fix on another as a leader the vision and direction of the nation as a whole becomes blurred and slowed down.Diferrences may exists, yes, but for the sake of the nation to move political strategies and differences should be laid down and focus should be fixed on the goal.
However as optimist the perception of the 2035 vision in the light of a fantasy as is not an option reason why the vision bearer model purports measures that can assist in the realization of this Vision.
ASSUMPTIONS
1. Long-term visions are set by the leaders of today to be accomplished by the youths of today.
2. Politics is a function of National growth and Party leaders act hand in hand with government as facets for development.
3. Equal regional development is the utmost determinant of full emergence.
4. International interference is watered down to its minimum.
5. Three categories of people are considered as nation builders namely.
The Youth
The Government
Political parties
From the above assumptions the model can be expatiated upon as follows;
The ability for Nation to have a vision is a good thing but the commitment and determination to see it succeed is another and if put in practice the Vision bearer model will assist in accelerating a dimension of the vision 2035.The model comprises two categories of vision bearers namely;
1) Long-term Vision Bearers which constitutes the youth made of more than half the country’s population.
2) Short term Vision Bearers constituting the government inclusive of all other political parties acting in unison.
A dream or vision of such caliber is a race that is being run by passing the banner from one bearer to another. If the vision or objective of the race was blurred in the eyes of the next bearer or the direction to take as planned is unknown, the spirit of the vision becomes weak and its materialization or accomplishment becomes a matter of doubt. Looking in this direction it is clear that a long-term vision as such will need many more growing hands to push it to the finish line. The education of the youths on the need of the vision and its contents is thus of prior importance since they will in the long run bear the burden of the vision and of the Nation. By this their leadership doesn’t starts tomorrow but begins today and aligning the youths considered as the vision bearers to the vision becomes of great importance. The various issues that plague our nation as at now should be communicated to the youths for if you don’t believe there is a problem, irrelevant becomes the word solution. To make the youths ripe for this task they must be well fortified and empowered through a system of education modeled to grow the dimensions, Cameroon as a nation intends to take. This mental investment in the youth will be a core foundation to withstand the mission ahead. The youth on their part must get themselves aligned with the affairs of the Nation and three modalities to ensure this are;
A. Putting in place a gearing mechanism with which the progress of the vision can be assessed. This could be done through periodic public debates and or periodic declarations by members of governments.
B. Engaging the youths through a two man representative from each of the ten regions of the country so they can act as transmission mechanisms to other youths in their regions as to how the Nation is forging ahead.
C. Revising the conclave of junior parliamentarians to actually consist of young people with deliberations which can actually be put into context. This calls for a simple re adjustment of the age brackets of the junior parliamentarians higher enough to provide for mature reasoning capacity and decision making.
By making the long term vision bearers and the vision one, its continuity and achievement becomes inevitable.
The short-term vision bearers on the other hand must play vital roles in achieving this vision by virtue of the positions of responsibility they hold .Members of the government must play their roles by carrying out their governmental activities passionately and transparently and they have part the responsibility of aligning the youths to the vision as vision bearers based on the level of accomplishment of the vision and giving room for participatory developmental conclaves or platform. Prior to this is laying a foundation of a balanced regional development for the development perspective of the vision is fundamental in shaping the mindset of the younger vision bearers.
Political party leaders need to undervalue critic and condemnation and overvalue their participatory development of the nation which they crave to lead. Leadership of a nation is not basically based on the presidency. Martin Luther of America was considered as a great leader yet he wasn’t in the presidency. The greatest of the leaders is one who serves the nation for the greater good. The small segments of the population under the control of party leaders should be motivated by them for a common goal which in this case is a full engagement in the Vision 2035.
These short term facilitators of the vision is of great importance as failure to hand the vision banner to a younger generation will be failing the vision and thus the Nation as a whole.
Mindful of the fact that Cameroon as a nation is one and indivisible our goal and obligations towards the common goal should be indivisible. We have over the years together fought several battles and the results were insignificant victories. This is an opportunity to as a nation stamp our feet in the sand banks of time with a major victory and send a positive message to generations yet unborn. The chance to create a history that we ourselves can write is now. We either MAKE or MAR.
By MFONTOH BLAISE ABENWI SHU,
B.D.M Skylabase Enterprise Buea,Cameroon.
