Kumba SDO suspends issuance of building permits

David Koulbout Aman insists that the process will only resume when the authorities produce a proper master plan for the city’s development. The Kumba City Council has been suspended from issuing building permits by the Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, David Koulbout Aman.

He restated the decision recently during the launch of a land use plan for Kumba I, II and III Sub-divisions at the Kumba City Council Hall.

The ceremony brought together the Divisional Officers for Kumba I, II and III, the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, the Mayors of Kumba I, II and III, Senators, Members of Parliament, Divisional Delegates and Service Heads, traditional and political authorities and members of the civil society.

The SDO said in line with the national policy of an emergent nation by 2035, it was important to ensure that Kumba took its place as an emerging modern city.

He noted with dismay that though Kumba remains a metropolitan town located on a suitable drain site, it lacks properly-constructed and well-maintained housing and transport networks.

Therefore, it is important for the town to be planned, upgraded and systematically extended, David Koulbout Aman, explained. He lauded the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council for having initiated and worked with the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing some years back to establish a proper plan for Kumba City as well as its land use.

The Meme chief executive assured municipal authorities and traditional rulers with boundary cases that the Land Use Plan will definitely put an end to such disputes.

According to an order signed earlier by David Koulbout Aman, the Kumba City Council has been suspended from studying files for construction permits until the Kumba Land Use Plan is approved. The Prefectoral Order also appointed members of a technical committee to study related files within a given period and to also oversee the drawing up of the Kumba Land Use Plan.

Meanwhile, a consultant of BATISU Sarl, a Yaounde-based firm in charge of the execution of the project, explained that the Land Use Plan will enable residents of various sub-divisions in Kumba city to have easy access to services by bringing them closer.

He noted that the plan will identify the location of facilities such as markets and bridges, adding that this will be done through surveys that entail gathering statistics in various neighbourhoods. Reacting to the suspension of issuance of building permits, the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, Victor Nkelle Ngoh, said the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing promised that the Land Use Plan will soon be ready.

“With its implementation, many neighbourhoods in Kumba will witness a lot of development projects such as roads, bridges, potable water and electricity,” the Government Delegate explained.

He added that the Mayors of Kumba I, II and III, with their Quarter Heads, have mapped out the various areas where the social amenities are highly needed, especially neighbourhoods that are completely cut off due to lack of bridges and culverts. “With the coming on board of the Land Use Plan, the city of Kumba will become a place to be,” Victor Nkelle Ngoh assured.