By DANIELA ITOE NGUM
Despite the ongoing crisis that has greatly affected most sectors in the North West and South West Regions including council’s local revenue collection, the Dikome Balue Council in Ndian Division has been able to raise the sum of over FCFA 196million, 43.58% from the FCFA 450million budgeted in 2018.
The statistics were made known by the Mayor of the Dikome Balue Council, Benjamin Itoe Njio, on April 25that the council’s chambers during the examination and adoption of the 2018 administrative, management and stores accounts of the Dikome Balue Council chaired by the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Ndian Division.
Mayor Itoe disclosed that the sum of over FCFA 77million out of the over FCFA 196million collected was spent on investment, giving excess revenue over expenditure of over FCFA 119million.
The drop in revenue collection and expenditure according to the Mayor is due to the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West Regions of the country.
The Mayor noted that though they were able to make some meaningful strides, 2018 would have been the peak of achievement in the council since its creation, had the crisis been absent.
Some of the projects achieved in 2018 include; payment of accrued tender board debts, construction of the Dikome Balue hospital, opening of the Defende-Dikome road, extension of portable water to Weme Balue, construction of two classrooms at Diboki Balue, commenced the linking of Bonji -Balue-Bona roads, payment of salaries to workers, settled areas of Deputy Mayors, settled contractor’s debt, repair the council Hilux, and many more.
On his part, the SDO for Ndian Division lauded the efforts of the Mayor and his team for making such strides despite the difficult moment most council areas are going through in the region.
He noted that though the realization rate is low as compared to that of last year, it is encouraging, given the obstacles they go through in the collection of local revenue.
He further encouraged them not to relent their efforts but see that they emerged victorious during the upcoming elections.