NW Senators promise to lobby for Mayors’ pay

They have completed their first field outreach in the region.

Elected on April 14, 2013, pioneer Senators from the North West have completed their first ever field outreach in the region. They crisscrossed all the divisions of the North West from July 13-15th, 2015 with a message of hope in efforts to enhance development. Team leader; Senator Simon Achidi Achu is at the helm of the team of six. Senator Dingha Ignatius Bayin acknowledges that the visit is “a little too late” but they are happy as a team to demonstrate unity of action.

Sizing up the problems of council areas, the Senators came face to face with councils which placed salaries for Mayors as one of their priority requests. The Senators travelled with a ‘thank you’ message for their electorate who are councillors.

Senator Wanlo John acknowledged that it was a rare moment for the Senators to commune with councillors as they retired with concrete information that the file for salaries for mayors is effectively on course. They were convinced that salaries and other incentives are necessary to reinforce and inspire mayors in the drive for decentralisation. The Senators are also positive about the need to step up sitting fees or allowances for councillors who cannot be paid salaries for now.

In the short and long of it, they went stating preparedness to rise to expectation in meeting the expectations of the region and hailed councillors for peacekeeping and development efforts in their respective communities. Senators Dingha Ignatius Bayin and Wanlo John told CT that the team also had tokens in appreciation for councillors, plus 35 motorcycles to encourage and facilitate revenue collection in all the council areas of the region.

Among the lot of expectations, councillors want an improvement on road infrastructure especially the Ring road, a bridge over River Katsina-ala to link Furu Awa, the construction of the hydroelectric dam over the Menchum Falls and water and energy projects, among others.

The visit equally updated councillors on happenings in the Upper House and the effort of Senators who collectively lobby projects for the region at respective ministerial departments in Yaounde. Senator Wanlo John told CT that the team equally stressed the fact that they are Senators at the service of the entire region and work together for progress and development.