BY IKOME CHRISTIE-NOELLA EPOSI IN BUEA
The Mayor of the Buea municipality, Bar. David Mafani Namange has revealed that a huge number of projects were realised with the FCFA 2.8 billion budget which was voted in 2021.
He made the revelation during the first ordinary session of the Buea council for 2022, dedicated to examination and adoption of the administrative, management and stores management account for the 2021 financial year.
Some projects, he noted, were realised in the areas of water supply, road infrastructure, street lighting, and equipment supply to the vulnerable, public primary schools, provisions of wash hand points, face masks and disinfectants in the fight against COVID-19, etc.
From the aforementioned amount, FCFA 1,694,991,842 was realized as revenue giving an execution rate of 60.54%. The expenditure stood at FCFA 1, 505,699,151. A balance of FCFA 189,292,691 was brought forward.
Taking place at the Buea Council deliberative chambers on Thursday, March 31, 2022, the session was chaired by the Mayor of the Buea council, David Mafani Namange who expressed gratitude to the SDO for Fako, Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux for his unflinching support to the management of the council. The mayor added that the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the socio-political crisis has greatly affected the Buea community with negative consequences.
Notwithstanding, he thanked the administration, dedicated staff and councillors and the population of Buea for their cooperation which has helped the Buea council realise some positive achievements.
Mayor Mafani equally noted that the council was able to reclassify and advance deserving staff on December 3, 2021 through a joint administrative board wherein salaries were paid up to February 2022 and the council is in the process of paying salaries of March 2022. He added that council workers both retired and active continue to benefit from different social insurance allowances.
Talking to the press, Mayor Mafani citedthat they as a council did not attain the level they set which was at about FCFA 2.8 billion nonetheless, he mentioned that they did a good job and realized a good number of projects despite the present context. “We want to see to it that the accounts are approved by the councillorsand thereafter we shall deliberate and come up with better any why not new ideas”.
The head of the municipality added that the session is a review of what had taken place when the budget was adopted in December 2021. “We earmarked projects such as more water points, better usage of municipal roads, increase our fight against the cholera outbreak, etc.”
“We are here to join ideas/recommendations for the betterment of management and the community through the provisions of social facilities and other facilities which are highly needed in Buea. We expect to come out of this session stronger, much more united as councillors and as people of one city. We equally want to reunite much more with the population of Buea. We all need to work together for development, peace and unity of our country” Mayor Mafani Namange told the press.
As part of the session, there was the presentation of committee reports, examination and adoption whereby some major recommendations were arrived at to help push the municipality forward. The Mayor and his councillors promised to continue working together, realizing more projects for the Buea municipality.
They (councillors) applauded the mayor for a job well done in the growth and development of the council/municipality and also in the return of peace to the municipality. The councillors look forward to better days ahead for the Buea Council.