Bamusso Council thriving amidst financial difficulties

The Bamusso Council in Ndian Division may not have the huge financial resources to engage in the herculean task of constructing roads to link the maritime parts of the municipality to the mainland, but the mayor and his team have brighter prospects for the future of Bamusso.

Though Mayor Etongo Grace Mbeng inherited a debt of over FCFA 14 million from the previous administration of the Bamusso Council, she is leaving no stone unturned to develop the municipality.

Since taking office after the September 30 twin elections, the new executive of the Bamusso Council headed by Mayor Grace Etongo has realised a few projects, with several other lined up for realization.

Speaking to The SUN on September 5 on the side-lanes of the first Ordinary Session of the Bamusso Council dedicated to the examination and adoption of the 2013 Administrative, Management and Stores Management Accounts, the Mayor said development is their priority.

The council in collaboration with the National Community Driven Development Program (PNDP) provided 15 modern hospital beds to three health centres in the municipality – six (6)beds for the Bekumu Health Centre, five (5) beds for the Bamusso Health Centre and four (4) beds for the Boa Health Centre.

Drugs have also been donated to the pro-pharmacies of the various health centres in Bamusso.

“The money got from the sale of these drugs will be used in a revolving fund so that the population will continue to have drugs at a very moderate rate,” Mayor Etongo Grace said.

The mayor said they are not relenting in efforts to develop Bamusso Municipality.

“The road issue that people had brainstormed on before my coming will soon be realised – The road from Boa Balundo to Bamusso and Bamusso to the mainland.

Everybody knows that to come to Bamusso, you must pass through water. But now we have a track which can link the maritime and the mainland.That project has been approved and we are at the level of feasibility studies now,”she averred. The other roads within Bamusso municipality are also being rehabilitated and maintained with seawall.

The portable water project, The Sun learnt, has also been approved. It is a large project managed by the Regional Tenders’ Board and work is expected to take-off soon.

“As we speak, the priority project is to construct a befitting residence for the Mayor and that is what we are going to embark on in a few days. The visibility study has been completed and it is now out for tender,” Mayor Grace Etongo said.

The project to rehabilitate the Bamusso Council Guest House at Illoani co-sponsored by the Council and PNDP, we are told, is well advanced.

Patrick OkenyeAnoh, Development Officer of Bamusso said the construction of a modern periodic market at Boa Beach will see the light of day soon. The project, he said, will be constructed by the Bamusso Council with Support from PNDP.

“The project for the construction of the market in Boa Market is expected to start soon. The feasibility studies have been concluded.

We just need to send the files to the tenders’ board,” he said.

In a bid to increase the internal revenue of the council, there are plans to set up a250 hectares council palm plantation.

“We are still negotiating with the villages that have the land. We also have been scouting for funders. Fortunately, some funders have shown their interest to sponsor the project,” the mayor said.

We also learnt that funding is also been sought to kick-start the Ekombe Waterfall Hydro-electricity Project.

Other projects include the construction of VIP toilets at GS Bekumu, Boa Health Centre and GS Illoani.

Two classrooms each have also been realised for GS Mbongo, GS Bekiri and GS Bekoro.

Fish markets at Bekiri and Bekumu are also in view.

Added to the classrooms constructed, the mayor said “The government gave FCFA 51,000 for the purchase of didactic materials for schools in the 2014 public investment budget. We saw that the money is small and as a council, we raised the money to FCFA 150,000. We’ve bought the materials already and we’ll distribute them to the various primary schools in our municipality.”

Corrugated Iron sheets, she added, will be made available for the roofing of Government Primary School (GS) BekiriBeach and the recruitment of another teacher for the school.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and I’m very much impressed with what we have been able to achieve this far. We are sure that the road and portable water project will be realised soonest,” the Mayor concluded.

Revenue increases A review of the 2013 budget year for Bamusso Council revealed that there has been a marked increase in the internal revenue of the council – over 80% increase.

Mayor Grace Etongo said the increase is thanks to the tireless efforts made by Luma Albert Effase, Municipal Treasurer for Bamusso Council.

The mayor said the Municipal Treasurer has designed a workable strategy that has seen all loose ends in council collections tightened.

“Revenue collection has improved in general terms and we thank the municipal treasurer, Mr.Luma,” the mayor said.

The Development Officer of the Council noted that he met the council in a difficult financial state, but the Municipal Treasurer – Albert Luma- has done all to ensure that all revenue sources are secured and well exploited.

The session observed that over FCFA 395 million was realised as revenue in 2013, over FCFA 238 million was spent with a balance of about FCFA 157 million.

The council session was chaired by Joseph Ndille, Divisional Officer of Bamusso on behalf of Ndian Senior Divisional Officer.