9 councils benefit FCFA 1.8 bln for projects

Some nine councils in the Centre, Adamawa, Southwest, Northwest and South Regions of Cameroonwillbenefit from a sum of FCAF 1.8 billion grant from the government to spearhead decentralisation and developmental projects in their municipalities.

The beneficiary councils are the Kumba City Council, Tibati, Sangmelime, Bafoussam I, Yoko, Mbengwi, Makenene, Nwa and Mvengue councils.

The councils through their Mayors signed a convention with the Ministries of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development and Territorial Administration and Decentralisation in Yaoundé recently.

The projects, The Post learnt, will be executed between a six to nine month timeframe as stipulated in the Labour Intensity Approach, better known by its French acronym as HIMO.

It will further create over 1,250 direct jobs and FCFA 677 million will be used as salaries.

Encouraging the beneficiaries, the Minister Delegate at MINADT, Yaouba Abdoulaye, said the money, which is taken from Public Investment Budget of 2016/2017 should be properly utilized, given that, it’s the people’s toil.

He added that the communities concerned should hire competent labour force for the execution of their projects and should contribute to improving the commercial balance of the country through their activities.

On the selection of councils, the National Coordinator of the Technical Unit of HIMO, Medard Kouatchou, said the selection followed the projects presented and the positive impacts it will create in the community. “In addition, thecouncils will best choose their labour force, given that, there are the localities in crisis and can best identify the solutions,” he stated.

The Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, Victor Nkelle Ngoh, said they are benefitting FCFA 210 million from the total sum and will use the money to improve drainage systems in the town, so as to improve hygiene and reduce floods.

“We are already in the second phase of a project to construct 580 metres river channel and so far mosquitoes have reduced in the town leading to improve health conditions,” he stated.

Sangmelima Council will use her FCFA 163 million to improve road accessibility to facilitate the evacuation of agro-pastoral products like cocoa, pineapple and banana to themarkets.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Mbengwi, Beatrice Tebe, said her council will use the FCFA 136 million received for the rehabilitation of some schools and improveaccessibility to the schools. “Local educational materials will be provided to some of these schools to improve the teaching -learning process.

The different councils concerned will hire their respective labour force and will render accounts to government after the expiration of the execution time frame.