By DANIELA NEBA NGUM
Councilors of the Kumba City Council have adopted the sum of FCFA 1.669.965.042 as their budget for the 2017 financial year. The budget was adopted during the budgetary session of the council that took place on Tuesday December 20 at the Kumba City Council hall, chaired by the 1st Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Epolewane Verkline.
Addressing the grand councillors, the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council Victor Ngoh Nkelle explained that this year’s budget has witnessed a drop of FCFA 13,8 99,2 431 in absolute terms and 7.7% in relative terms from that of 2016 which stood at FCFA 1 , 808 957, 473 billion.
While presenting his draft budget proposal to the councillors and administrative officials present, Victor Ngoh Nkelle explained that out of the sum budgeted this year, 87% will be recurrent revenue which is intended to come from internal revenue sources, the common decentralisation fund and other transfers amounting to the sum of over FCFA 1.4billion while 13% will constitute investment revenue of FCFA 216,415,042 . The government delegate revealed the expenditure is spread to cover overheads and capital and investment expenditure and will cover staff cost, provide material and supplies, cover transportation expenses, settle other services and various financial costs, grant general recurrent allocations to sub divisional councils, take care of other social expenses and develop projects from the master plan through consultancies and other methods, settle kumba city council indebtedness to third parties and other government investment.
The Government Delegate revealed as part of his development plans the budget shall cater for the dredging of the Mambungise stream through the HIMO project, rehabilitation and resurfacing of roads, building of culverts, the extension and maintenance of the electricity network as well as funds from foreign partners aimed at providing social housing and other projects in the Higher Technical Teachers Training College, Kumba many more.
The Kumba main market is equally targeted as the Government Delegate revealed plans to rehabilitate and number stores in the market. Meantime, in the domain of hygiene, the City Boss disclosed that the population will soon benefit from the services of HYSACAM as the necessary documents have already left MINHDU for the Finance ministry pending the launching of the Dormer’s operation within Kumba.
While responding to questions from the grand councillors on the non tarring of any road in Kumba, the incompetence of the stores account and an account of the collection of FCFA 2500building permits, the Government Delegate promised to look into all the worries raised as well as ensure the ban of the amount levied for those constructing houses in kumba. The Delegate equally promised the stores in all the markets in kumba will be numbered to ensure the accounts presented by the stores accountant is clear.
Earlier on the 1st Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Epoulewane Vekline called on the Senior Councillors to all make judicious deliberations as the future and development of the town is in their hands.
She stated that the 40% of investment allocated by law should be strictly respected so the population can feel their impact. She however urged the Government Delegate to engage more on the construction and tarring of roads within the city.
The councilors equally resolved that the kumba city council creates a community radio station in Kumba.