Activation Policies for the Poor in OIC Member States
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As well as delivering job search support, the FNE supports a job creation activation measure: the
promotion of entrepreneurship. Jobseekers identified as being entrepreneurial can be given support
to start their own businesses. FNE agencies have officers on site whose role is to work with such
jobseekers, helping them to formulate business plans and signposting them to sources of finance.
The FNE also operates an Integrated Information Centre for Youth Entrepreneurship. The centre,
located in Yaoundé, has publications and internet services available for visitors to the centre. The
centre also has an online database, described as ‘a list of 500 business ideas’ that can be accessed by
would-be entrepreneurs. The database provides information on the expected costs and revenues
associated with different businesses and their general economic viability. For example, the costs and
potential revenues of setting up a chicken farm can be found, as can advice relating to the care of the
animals. The centre also offers workshops to both would-be entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who
have set up businesses on topics such as fiscal requirements and human resource management.
Entrepreneurship is also promoted by the FNE through the media.
The job creation strand of APERP is also delivered by the ILO in supporting the government to
develop policies favouring labour-based technologies. Further job creation measures will be
discussed in the following section.
3.3.3 The way forward
This section presents recommendations based on the best practice found in the research. The
recommendations also aim to address the challenges faced by activation projects and policies. The
reasoning behind each recommendation and the approach proposed to implement it is tailored to
Cameroon’s current environment and policies. However, other lower-middle income Member States
should consider the recommendations proposed and assess whether they would be applicable to
them.
National policy objectives & delivery
The number of work and job related initiatives could be rationalised.
All relevant ministries have a priority focus on delivering ALMPs, but this has led to over 60 different
initiatives across several ministries. There is little cooperation or coordination between them to
ensure duplication is minimised and value for money from programmes is maximised. Furthermore,
beneficiaries are not properly targeted and outcomes are unclear.
Ministries have come together to improve coordination of ALMPs. This approach could be
encouraged to come up with a work plan to progress the rationalisation of initiatives and the
commencement of a common programme of activity extremely quickly.
The ‘one stop shop’ previously mentioned may take the lead in influencing the technical
specifications of large infrastructure and smaller urban regeneration projects at the early planning
and design stage in order to ensure:
 A share of the budget goes to smaller contractors utilising labour-based technologies
 Built in capacity for planning, designing and evaluation
 Capacity building for using local labour in the initial project and follow on routine maintenance
 Procurement documents are orientated towards the employment of smaller contractors
Specific informal occupations can be regularised and best practice disseminated.
Cameroon has a large informal sector. As workers in this sector are more likely to be in poverty and
are not covered by social protection, it is important for efforts to regularise these workers to
continue.