- Maintains Limbe will remain one and indivisible
- Echoes strides, sacrifices made to keep city afloat amidst tough times
- Fako SDO prescribes dialogue for reconciliation
By Noela EBOB BISONG
The City Mayor of Limbe, Paul Efome L.M. Ngale has addressed those he terms detractors, whom he insists do not want the success of the city. He was speaking during the first ordinary session of the Council dedicated to examine and adopt the Administrative, Management and Stores Accounts of the 2024 financial year. The session was chaired by Fako Senior Divisional Officer, Engelbert Viang Mekala, Friday, March 21, 2025.
According to the City Mayor, the 2024 budget which was estimated at FCFA 6billion balanced in revenue and expenditure, only succeeded to record a 44.95% success. He maintained that 2024 was a very financially tight year but that the Council was able to engage the construction of 72 lock-up stores, construct a modern meat market with 13 stores, carryout diagnostic studies to update the Limbe Urban Master Plan, open up some waterways, construct some 40 ecological latrines, maintain earth roads as well as carry out studies for a second access road into Limbe (from Tiko through Limbe III) etc.
Efome says his team has as vision to spread development across Limbe, foster hygiene and sanitation, street lighting amongst others.
The City boss used the occasion to urge Limbe denizens living in risk zones to leave to safer areas, in order to avoid human casualties and destruction of properties as the rains approach (since the city has recorded deadly floods and landslides in the past).
A clear message to detractors
No sooner had City Mayor Efome presented the accounts and the state of development in Limbe, than he turned the page to address some whom he termed detractors.
Holding that Limbe consists of three indigenous clans (Bakweris, Wovias and Isubus), the City Mayor said there’s a current wave of division and tension, which is affecting the smooth functioning of the municipality. He said in line with history, Mayors and a City Mayor have come from the Isubu and Bakweri clans and all of that was because of their unity as a people.
Efome spoke of his efforts and sacrifices to push the development of Limbe, wherein, he has no service car and his workers have gone for eight months without salaries, just to ensure that basic services are available in the city.
In spite such sacrifices according to the City Mayor, “these days because of few interests of unpopular politicians, they are struggling to divide our unity in Limbe. They are not doing so for the interest of the municipality but for their personal gains”, he said.
The City Mayor furthered that “Because today the political environment has increased, we are calling on all those who are trying to divide Limbe, that Limbe is one and indivisible. We will not tolerate in this municipality any negative energy to divide us. Not only one person will decide what will happen in Limbe, especially if you are not in a position to do so. We say ‘No’ to hate speech”.
Almost three years in office, Efome reiterated that he is still struggling to use his personal vehicle to serve the population. “This is due to lack of resources at the Limbe City Council. That is the risk I am taking for this municipality”, he said.
He again stated that, “Witch hunters and social media advocates should take note that in 2019, the administrative account of the Limbe City Council was above 5billion. After 2020 it dropped to 1.5 billion. I took it to 2.6billion…I wish to invite all the detractors to understand that the Council cannot provide similar services as it was in those days.”
The City Mayor thus urged that, “Let us therefore put our hands together, concert on measures and avenues that can improve on revenue to give back to Limbe the grandeur it deserves and what we wish for the future.”
In his observation, Fako SDO, Viang Mekala praised the Council for holding its session before the March 31st deadline, while urging that much effort should be geared towards revenue collection, since most Councils have not moved above 50% since the crisis affecting the South West and North West regions of Cameroon broke out.
Reacting to the City Mayor’s message to his detractors, Fako SDO regretted the atmosphere within the Council rocked by tensions and camps. He reminded them that as members of the same political party and with 2025 being a sensitive year, all should be done to break down every wall of division and separation, in the interest of their champion, Paul Biya. “I do not support division; I encourage and advice for unity, dialogue and reconciliation. Nobody will come and impose peace in this Council”, he said, announcing that the doors to his office are widely open for those who will come to propose solutions to the current mishap.