After receiving first salaries, Mayors and Gov’t Delegates get health insurance
By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
The lives of Mayors and their Deputies and that of Government Delegates to City Councils in Cameroon will never be the same again as they started receiving their first salaries last week in addition to a health insurance scheme introduced for them and their respective families by the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon.
The SUN got confirmation that Mayors and their Deputies as well as Government Delegates to City Councils have started receiving their salaries through their various banks in the country last April 6 during the 11th Session of the National Executive Bureau of the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon chaired by its President, Mayor Andze Andze Emile of the Yaoundé I Council.
In a session to discuss and adopt their plan of action and budget for 2017, Mayor Andze Andze Emile reassured his colleagues that they will continue to intensify their lobbying efforts for an increase in council revenues this year.
A major highlight of their meeting to adopt their above FCFA 2 billion 2017 budget and action plan was a convention signing ceremony between the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon represented by its President, Mayor Andze Andze Emile and an Insurance Company represented by its Director General, Thierry Kepeden Nana.
In a chat with reporters, Mayor Andze Andze Emile explained that negotiations are underway to extend to other councilors the insurance health scheme that is starting with Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Government Delegates to City Councils and their respective families in order to improve upon the living conditions of these council officials.
Talking to The SUN, the National Treasurer of the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon, Mayor Njong Donatus Fonyuy of Kumbo said their discussion also focused on the need for elected councils officials to see their status improved upon by the end of 2017. He explained that though he is not among those receiving mayors’ salaries because of his civil servant status, “at first municipal administrators were the Divisional Officers who were receiving salaries but when the law changed and elected personalities had to take over the running of the councils, they were receiving just meager allowances. But now that the state has decided to give salaries to mayors in compensation to the work done for the population, I think it is a good thing. Even if the salary is still meager, it will keep them above embezzlement temptations.”