By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
Exchanging constructive ideas on the earmarked 2025, 2026 and 2027 budget of the Tiko Council, the council management last November 15, 2024 met with major stakeholders of the municipality at the holding of the 5th Budget Orientation Debate BOD of the Tiko Council.
The BOD which took place at the Tiko Council chambers brought together citizens of Tiko municipality and its environs, the private sector, civil society organisations, councilors and de-concentrated services of the state. It was an opportunity for the council management and stakeholders to reflect on projects carried out by the council in the year under review so as to take collective recommendations. It was also an avenue to channel the concerns of the people for the inclusion in the 2025, 2026 and 2027 budget of the municipality.
Termed “The Smart Budget”, the session was presided over by the Mayor of Tiko Council, Chief Peter Ikome Mesoso III, wherein he remarked that the meeting falls in line with the state’s policy to accelerate the decentralisation process as enshrined by the legislations on the general code of regional and local authorities.
“It is time for us as citizens of the municipality to take our destinies in our hands as deliberations made here today will determine the fate of our municipality tomorrow and in the years to come, it will also serve as a barometer for posterity. This is the 5th BOD I am holding since I took over office in 2020. The BOD gives us the possibility to achieve 4 major things; the evaluation of revenue and expenditure of the council, the evaluation of the budget balance, asserting debt level of the council and planning and programming of council investments”.
He added that the aim of the public participation is to encourage the public to have a meaningful input into the decision making process of Tiko municipality. “We are here today to ensure that those who are affected by development decisions should have a right to be involved in the making process. The most significant thing is public participation which assures Tiko denizens that our promises are not empty”, the Mayor said.
Presenting the proposed budget for the next 3 years (2025, 2026 and 2027), the Mayor of the Council revealed that the budget stands at the tune of FCFA 5 Billion, 717 million, 175 thousand, 55frs (FCFA 5,717,175,55). “For the year 2025, Tiko council has a proposed budget of FCFA 1 Billion, 652 million, 660 thousand balanced in both revenue and expenditure. 48% of the proposed budget shall be used for investment and expenditure while 52% will be used for recurrent expenditure”.
In a report presented on citizen consultation in areas of the municipality, it was revealed that in areas like the Kombos, denizens requested for provision of drinking water, street lighting, construction of schools etc. In other zones, the most frequent demands were those of construction of culverts, road maintenance, construction of boreholes and bridges, youth employment, provision of tractor tails for refuse collection etc.
Talking to the press, the Mayor stated that the money projected for the next 3 years will go in a sequential manner starting from 2025, 2026 and 2027. “The budget also highlights the projects to be carried out for 3 years. So we encourage our population to be patient as we tackle the various projects we can gradually and do so successfully. The idea of developing the municipality is not a one-man job, so I call on you all to join hands so that together we can develop our communities. We will start with the priority projects such as the rehabilitation of the government hospital and others will follow suit. If the projected budget is followed strictly and closely, it will give a new face lift in the municipality”, he opined.
Note that this public consultation meeting falls in line with section 374 (2) of Law No. 2019/024 of 24/12/2019 on the general code of regional and local authorities.