Local Government and The Politics of Decentralization In Cameroon: The Case of Elak-Oku Municipality, 2007-2017

Government authorities owe their populations the responsibility to plan, facilitate and sustain the provision of communal services. This is usually achieved through several methods, one of which is decentralization. The concept of decentralization consists in breaking down heavy government machinery into smaller administrative units down at local levels. In Africa, some states are in the process of decentralizing the central government decision-making process to offer more acceptable local services. Though some states are engaged in the decentralisation process, their programs are far from being effective. The design of the decentralization process in Cameroon, an ethnically diverse country, constitutes a major challenge for state power and government. In response to these demands and threats, and in conjunction with reforms to improve democratic governance and service delivery, Cameroon’s state administration has, in the last decade, resorted to decentralization as a technique for promoting national unity. In Cameroon, the reorientation of the Local Governments (LGs) system towards decentralization has been a major preoccupation since the advent of democracy. This paper adopts a historical approach to provide an account of why and how the Elak-Oku Council Area via the system of Local Governments has considerably achieved in terms of economic and social development during recent times despite the difficulties faced in the decentralization process in Cameroon. This work equally highlights the historical background, difficulties faced and the way forward for Local Governments to meet the Council’s objectives.