Norbert Wasso Binde
Towns, cities, and cosmopolitan areas throughout Africa face unprecedented economic, demographic, fiscal and environmental challenges that make it imperative for the public and private sectors, to enhance infrastructural development.
There’s an underlying need for modern, efficient and reliable infrastructure, for this does not only enable trade, powers businesses, connects workers to their jobs, creates opportunities for struggling communities and protects the nation from an increasingly unpredictable natural environment.
It also affects growth, through several supply and demand-side channels. Investments in transport networks and others directly impact growth, as all types of infrastructure represent an essential input in any production of goods and services. Roads open up more areas and stimulate economic and social development. For those reasons, road infrastructure is the most important of all public assets.
This is exactly what Mayor Ekenue Samuel Osang of Mundemba, the chief town of Ndian Division, South West Region of Cameroon and his team are doing.
Quiet, sober, humble but one with vast knowledge of council administration and management, Mayor Ekenue Samuel Osang is bringing his academic nous-nous in council management and vast experience acquired as secretary general of the Kumba Urban Council to bear on the management and development of Mundemba municipality. Barely three years in office and in a crisis-laden area, his score card is simply impressive.
During the crisis that hit the South West and NW Regions of Cameroon, Mundembalike most communities were badly hit, causing lots of her inhabitants to relocate to safer zones.
The town was almost relegated to an inhabitable zone, but as a new horizon opens, things are fastly changing. Mayor Ekenue Osang and his team, are putting hands on deck and leaving no gravel unturned, in giving Mundemba, known as the bread basket of the nation, a new face-lift.
The extensive and appropriate grading of all the streets is seriously on-going, with the tarring of two more streets, that’s street 4 and 5,as well as paving of Streets 3 and Nalipaka Street. Fascinating!!
Special commendation goes to Mr. Uro Cletus Amadi for the great job, him and others are doing in Iliba-Wase Street.
The mayor is being poured encomiums for piloting this renaissance of Mundemba and are being encouraged not to relent.
Other realisations
* Creation of bore holes in schools & some Streets of Mundemba;
* Rehabilitation of the Mundemba Council garage ;
* Implantation of Solar lamps in some dark areas of Mundemba municipality;
* Construction of a Mundemba Council office complex ( ongoing );
* Construction of a bridge linking Hill Top & Upper lyoro& other culverts in Street 5 and Nombostreet ;
* Grading of Streets within Mundemba town etc
* Renovation of classrooms in the GBPS Manja;
* Extension of electricity to the GTHS Mundemba;
* Grading of the Mundemba – Bulu beach road;
* Construction of the Mundemba Town Hall ;
* Reopening of the abandoned Mundemba Council Palm Farm in Manja;
Also the impending purchase of two ( 2) 20 tons tippers to serve for revenue generation and a motorized tricycle to assist in waste evacuation in the Mundemba market;
*Construction of market stores in the Mundembamarket.etc
* Operation green city planting of trees within Mundemba town.
The ANC
We can all recall that in April 2022, exactly one year ago, the long awaited All Ndian Conference, ANC 2022 organised under the distinguished patronage of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, H.E Chief Dr Dion Ngute Joseph, held at the Council Chambers in Mundemba.
Mundemba, chief town of Ndian Division, was the most improbable location for a civil gathering of any kind, but that hotbed of the ongoing armed conflict rocking the Anglophone regions of the country succeeded to host the All Ndian Peace and Development Conference (ANC) at the weekend.
The occasion was graced by the presence of the Prime Minister’s representative, Director of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, Minister EbunebConfiance Balungeli who was triumphantly welcomed with singing and dancing by the various cultural dance groups and chiefs from the various clans in Ndian.
The mayor’s input to this ground-breaking gathering cannot be underestimated eventhough it was a very high profile gathering that necessitated mobilization of resources at the topmost of the nation’s hierarchy. In all, Mundemba under Mayor Ekenue Samuel Osang was ready and successfully hosted the event.
