By Daniela Itoe Ngum
The Mayor of the Kumba II Council, Martin Forcha Ndobegang has decried the abandonment of the FCFA 4billion World Bank project in the Kumba II municipality by the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, Victor Ngoh Nkelle.
Mayor Ndobegang disclosed this information on Wednesday April 17, during the council’s administrative, management and stores accounts session at the council’s chambers, presided at by the 2nd Assistant Senior Divisional Officer, ASDO for Meme.
According to the Mayor, the giant project was supposed to kick start in February had the Kumba City Council made available the agreed first instalment of FCFA 80million.
He hinted that contrary to the presentation of the Government Delegate during the Kumba City Council Session announcing the indefinite suspension of the project because of insecurity, the project is very much available to the municipality. He added that the project will commence as soon as the city council pays the FCFA 80million.
The Mayor further regretted the fact that a giant project of FCFA 4billion will be treated with such neglect at the level of the city. He described the situation as bad faith, given the fact that the Kumba City Council’s budget had surplus revenue over expenditure of FCFA 259,369,814.
Mayor Ndobegang noted that the Kumba II Council is the only council that was selected for the program in the entire South West Region among four different councils in other regions. He said the project had already commenced in the other three councils.
Worth noting is the fact that grand councillors of the Kumba City Council during their session moved a motion authorizing the Government Delegate to ensure the payment of the first instalment in order to avoid losing the project.
The FCFA 4billion World Bank Project will see the tarring of the road from Kossala to Pullentin Quarter, the construction of a multipurpose hall, the extension of pipe borne water and electricity in the municipality and more.
The Mayor nonetheless lamented the fact that the crisis has greatly affected the local revenue collection of the council as a worker has been killed already, others threatened, molested for exercising their duties. He said the situation is so bad that they barely survive subvention from the government.
Mayor Ndobegang added that if nothing is done to arrest the insecurity in his municipality, the council might be forced to close up due to lack of funds.
He however revealed that out of FCFA 805million budgeted in 2018, over FCFA 170million was effectively collected given a 21.16% realization with 19.6% of the realized budget spent on investment.
Reacting to this, the 2nd ASDO for Meme said the poor revenue realization and percentage spent on investment is the worst the council has ever registered. This she blamed on the current crisis that has really dealt with the council.