Buea council votes ambitious FCFA 1.7bln budget

The Buea council on Wednesday, December 23, 2015, voted an ambitious budget balanced in income and expenditure at the whopping sum of FCFA 1.7 billion.

The budget was voted after close to eight hours of heated debates, during a budgetary session of the council that witnessed the presence of the S.D.O for Fako, Zang III, accompanied by the regional boss of the Public Contracts Regulatory Board ARMP and the regional representative of Feicom.

Speaking on the occasion, the S.D.O. observed that the council was still too dependent on government assistance despite the many avenues to increase revenue. He urged the council management to strategize on ways of broadening the revenue base.

The budgetary session was also an occasion for the mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge to take stock of achievements in 2015 and make projections for 2016.

Recalling achievements in the domain of infrastructure the mayor mentioned among others the construction of modern classrooms at G.S Bwitingi thanks to the partnership with PNDP; on-going construction of an ultra-modern multi-purpose cultural hall in Boana; construction of a modern abattoir in Moli, near Muea, and construction of classrooms in G.S Boana.

He also mentioned rehabilitation works at the residence of the Governor and Assistant D.O; Construction of a latrine in the Bokwaongo market; construction of a flower market and provision of a van for easy and hygienic transportation of meat from the abattoir to the markets.

In the domain of road rehabilitation, Patrick Ekema mentioned the grading of roads in Liongo, Bwitingi, Bokwai new layout, Bonakanda, Mile14, Small Soppo-Wonganga, Ndongo, Bomaka, Campaign street Great Soppo, Mayor's street, end of Muea market, Muamu and the Bova-Bokwai stretch.

In the domain of education promotion the mayor recalled the organization of free holiday classes for pupils and students during the last third term holidays; provision of holiday jobs for 250 students; participation in the Buea University open door days and the recent sponsoring of the UB debate club to Ghana for an intellectual exchange.

These achievements notwithstanding, Patrick Ekema regretted that the provision of portable water to some localities was still a source of headache to the council. He said because of objective difficulties faced by the Chinese partners to construct boreholes, a solution to the water crisis may not come as soon as was envisaged. This notwithstanding, the mayor said some quarters like Bonaberi in Buea town can now boast of pipe borne water, after about 2 years of drought.

In the social and cultural domain, apart from the monthly sports walk and keep fit programs, the council also organized inter-quarter football competitions during the long holidays; played an active role in the funeral of the paramount chief of Buea, H.R.M. Nakuve Chief justice E.M.L. Endeley and also gave material support to soldiers fighting the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North.

Patrick Ekema said efforts to improve the working conditions of workers of the council have been redoubled with the upgrading of some 28 personnel. Meanwhile, some staffers who were hired on a temporal basis will be given permanent contracts beginning January 2016.

It was also an occasion for the mayor to congratulate loyal and duty conscious collaborators while castigating those lazy ones who only spent time blackmailing, back-stabbing and witch-hunting their hierarchy and other colleagues.