"All Councils receive FCFA 20m every 3 months"

The Mayor of Fundong, Denis Awoh Ndang, has revealed that every three months, the Council Support Fund (FEICOM) injects FCFA 20 million into Councils for projects.

The declaration is contrary to the outcry of many Mayors that their Councils lack funding for basic necessities to improve on the lives of their population. Most Mayors are said to hide this amount from the very population they purport to serve.

“What do I do with such an amount than to invest in projects so that the population can enjoy the facilities meant for the Council?” Ndang quipped.

Presenting his stewardship to the Fundong people on October 16, during what was christened “Public Hearing,” Mayor Ndang enumerated a catalogue of achievements, as well as challenges, after one year in office as Mayor.

Ndang, who is also the Regional Delegate of Public Works, said he has been able to re-instated street lights in Fundong town, open and grade roads, donated textbooks and benches to schools, constructed a modern public toilet at the Fundong granstand, distributed maize seeds to farmers, paid all salary arrears and only owing but the salary for September this year, provided solar system to enclaved areas, created a new organigram for the Council, assisted with vaccines against rabies, given financial support to women, shared shoes to seven schools, recruited 11 teachers, rehabilitated Council vehicles that were all grounded, transformed the Fundong meat slab, given constant monthly assistance to Fundong Community Radio, among other things.

He said the Council recruited students during the holidays and FCFA 2.5 million was paid to as little compensation for keeping the municipality clean. As concerns challenges, Ndang said he inherited a debt of FCFA 53 million and has reduce it by FCFA 19 million.

Of the FCFA 5 million meant for the Fundong forest or fuel plantation, he said his predecessor used only FCFA 1 million and FCFA 4 million which was not accounted for as it was clandestinely withdrawn immediately after the September 30, 2013 twin elections.

“I have seen somewhere that the FCFA 1 million was used for “fire tracing in the forest”.

He explained further that when he came to office, he noticed that the documentation pool was archaic and he had to spend FCFA 10.7 million to purchase computers.

Taking questions from the public on why six SDF Councilors boycotted the inauguration of the modern toilet at the grand stand and the “Public Hearing” ceremonies, Ndang said it is an embarrassment to him, “because, before today, we have been working together and they are in committees of the Council. I want to use this opportunity to call on everyone that I am a Mayor for all in Fundong, though I came in on the ticket of my party, the CPDM.”

The SDO for Boyo, Joseph Oum II, observed that the public hearing exercise has given the public and stakeholders the opportunity to rate the Mayor and councillors.