The Cameroonian government has recently centralized the collection of local taxes and levies, transferring this authority from municipal councils to the General Tax Directorate. While framed as a measure to combat fraud, this decision represents a significant shift in the state’s approach to local finances, despite ongoing commitments to decentralization.
In the Eastern region, particularly in Doumaintang and Betaré-Oya, communities face pressing infrastructure challenges—crumbling roads, remote villages, and a critical shortage of public amenities. The implications of this reform will directly impact their ability to fund local development.
Ending irregularities: a necessary step?
In Doumaintang, Mayor Honoré Koumé supports the reform, citing widespread corruption and inefficiencies in local tax collection. “The lack of oversight over collectors and procedural gaps led to rampant tax evasion,” he explains. Conflicts between municipal agents and traders—especially in markets and among motorcycle taxi operators—highlighted the system’s inability to properly manage fiscal matters.“
Mayor Koumé believes the General Tax Directorate has the expertise, training, and logistics required to ensure proper tax administration. However, in Betaré-Oya, Mayor Nicolas Baba questions the timing and necessity of this centralization, arguing that decentralization should empower local governance from the ground up.
Local development at risk
The reform may deprive municipalities of a vital revenue stream, potentially stalling local development projects. Mayor Baba expresses concerns: “We made promises to our people—how can we fulfill them now? Decentralization was supposed to bring change from the bottom up. Are we to shelve these projects until the situation becomes clearer?”
This decision aligns with the state’s objective to tighten control over local finances, as several communes—including Nkongsamba—have faced allegations of embezzlement, poor governance, and budgetary irregularities in recent years. With over 360 municipalities nationwide, the coming months will reveal how this reform reshapes local financial autonomy and the capacity of councils to meet public needs.