BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA
Senior Councillors of the Limbe City Council have voted a budget of FCFA 9,750,000,000 for the 2018 financial year. This was during the second ordinary session of the Limbe City Council devoted for the examination of 2018 draft budget which took place at Limbe City Council chambers on Wednesday 27, 2017.
Amongst the numerous projects earmarked for the 2018 calendar, the Limbe City Council announced the construction of an ultra modern market in 2018. The market project is estimated to cost about FCFA 2, 2000,000 to be financed partly by the council assistance fund, FEICOM.
The ultramorden market project is responsible for a sharp increase of FCFA 275.000.000 from the FCFA 7 billion budget voted in 2017.
The government delegate to the Limbe City Council, Motanga Andrew Monjimba, while presenting the budget to the senior councillors indicated that the budget is balanced in both revenue and expenditure at the sum of FCFA 9,750,000,000 indicating an increase of 2,70,000,000 in absolute terms and 39.3% in relative terms compared to the 2017 budget which stood at FCFA 7 billion.
According to the government delegate much priority has also been given on expenditure on investment over staff cost in 2018. staff cost which only represent 19.7% of the budget has been increased to 23.1%.
The 2018 investment expenditure stands at the sum of 5,138,000,000 which represent 52.7% of the budget. This amount is more than the 3,34,000,000 representing 47.20% of the budget of the previous year.
According to Motanga, the 2018 budget will be spent on the following; land acquisition, tangible assets, equipment and furniture, workers, development of roads, bridges, culverts, water and electricity networks, purchase of transport and road equipment, more invest in the opening of gardens and open spaces, hygiene and sanitation partnership with HYSACAM.
Motanga added that the City Council intends to maintain existing installations of water and electricity network to improve on the security and health condition of the population through the provision of constant flow of potable water and ensure constant street lighting at night, install more stand taps in the municipality.
He also announced that the city council will improve on road networks and ensure easy movement of population through upgrading and resurfacing of earth roads, subsidies to students for 2018 academic year, encourage sporting activities in the municipality, rehabilitation of the slaughter house to improve the sanitary condition of meat consumed by the population, maintaining of City Council chambers and improve working condition of workers for more output.
Besides the construction of the long awaited ultra modern market for the municipality, construction of a hotel at Ccustoms Canteen, construction and maintenance of road and bridge to link Clerk’s Quarters and new market were amongst the other projects earmarked for 2018.
“I have always said Limbe is a town destined for greatness and we can surely make this town the city of our dreams if all of us remain united in our common objective.” Motanga said.
Motanga Andrew however cited some upcoming challenges like the fact that the Limbe Arts and Cultural Festival, Limbe FESTAC 2018 will be coinciding with the 160 years anniversary of the founding of Victoria by Reverend Alfred Saker and 2019 AFCON.
It should be noted that a standing innovation was reserved in honour of the population of Limbe for shunning violence and choosing peace during the climax of the current Anglophone crisis, Motanga Andrew heartily thanked the population for maintaining peace and described Limbe as a glass house that does not need stone throwing.
“We vigorously condemn the use of violence in advocating for issues no matter how pertinent they may be. Violence and destruction of public property only take us backwards in our development efforts.” Motanga Andrew told the councillors.
The senior divisional officer for Fako Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux who double as the supervisory authority of councils in Fako, appreciated the senior councillors, government delegate in particular and Limbe populace in general.
He however urged the senior councillors to give their total support to the government delegate and his team in their efforts to develop the city, which he expressed optimism of their ability to deliver.
He also particularly appreciated the government delegate for his managerial savvy of the city, which effort has made the city of Limbe stand tall as the cleanest city in the country void of any ghost town.
He equally assured the government delegate of his unflinching support in the organization of the Limbe FESTAC 2018, AFCON 2019 and tarring of roads within the city among others.
Meanwhile during the committee report several deliberation were arrived at, amongst which the senior councillors authorised the government delegate to award gratification to meritorious staffs at the end of each year, create a risk management service of the city council which will be working with the fire fighting brigade through the ministry of defense, allocation of allowances to workers who are awarded with labour medals ranging from 75,000FCFA for silver guilds medals, 100,000FCFA for silver and 150,000FCFA for those with gold medal.