The role of community participation in public works projects in LDCs: The case of the Bonadikombo, Limbe (Cameroon) self-help water supply project

Abstract

The study was designed to highlight the role of community or citizen participation (CP) in the implementation of public works projects in less developed countries (LDCs). The empirical referent of the study is the self-help water project of Bonadikombo, a suburb of the city of Limbe in Cameroon. It is shown that CP played an indispensable role in the realisation of that project. Five of the weakest forms of CP, namely contributions, enlistment, cooperation, consultations and utilisation, are employed to demonstrate the strategy's positive role in public works project implementation in particular and the development process in general.