Fako SDO tasks municipal authorities to improve local revenue

In line with the effective implementation of the decentralisation process, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako Division, Zang III, has urged members of the Divisional Committee of Local Finances (CODEFIL) in the division, to mobilise, effectively exploit and properly manage local revenue within the various councils.

The Fako boss who is also the chairman of the committee said this while installing the members in Limbe, on Monday, November 24.

The committee has 22 members, including a secretary (Meombo Linonge Daniel), the government delegate to the Limbe city council, the seven mayors of the sub-divisional councils of Limbe I, II and III, Idenau, Tiko, Buea and Muyuka, the divisional chief of taxes, the regional delegate of FEICOM, chief of customs brigade, the divisional treasurer and the eight Municipal Treasurers of the various councils in the division.

The role of CODEFIL is to ensure optimum mobilisation and proper management of local resources to foster local development in order to make the decentralisation process smooth and also that the councils get a degree of financial autonomy from the state. Thus, Zang III urged all the members to strengthen collaboration and create an enabling environment for effective collection of local revenue.

After the installation by the divisional chairman of CODEFIL, the committee immediately went to work, and eight exposes were presented by the Municipal Treasurers on the present financial situation of their various councils, the sources of local revenue, challenges being faced on the field and possible solutions.

In the later part of deliberations, the mayors also added their voices to state some of the problems they face in the exploitation of local revenue, such as debts owed and debts inherited, difficulties in collecting taxes from some recalcitrant economic operators, absence of proper communication with other stakeholders, conflict and self-interest and the need to computerise the system, etc.

In seeking solutions to some of the problems, the Chairman of the Committee assured the members of his willingness and ability to intervene to their aid, but told them that they must have to take necessary steps in solving some of the problems, and not rely completely on the state for their sustenance.

He urged them to intensify the mobilisation, assessment, collection and management of local revenue, the computerisation and reorganisation of council recovery sections, ensure the payment of land taxes and building permits, the need for the councils to work with administrative authorities, taxation officers, forces of law and order in the case of a forceful tax drive, and the need for the creation of a nominal roll etc.