It was at exactly midday that the senior Divisional Officer of Momo Division and his “Etat Major” made entry into the Mbengwi Council hall, this Thursday March 14 2019 to supervise the holding of the 2018 Administrative Accounts Session. Probably for the first time in five years, Councillor Kadiri Ahmadou, the lone municipal representative of the Muslims said an opening prayer in Fufulde. This was preceded by a refrain of the national anthem. The council’s Secretary General, Mr. Ndokonyi Musa will then conduct a roll call from which sixteen councilors out of twenty five answered present. The rest had sent in proxies. Done with the exercise, the S.G turned and told the S.D.O, “The S.D.O of Momo, the councilors here form a quorum and by law, session can proceed.”
And that was how business started with the reading of the agenda by Mayor Tebe Beatrice that was later moved for adoption by Councillor Morris Tagyen, seconded by Councillor Dorine Fonjong. With the election of Councillor Tembeng Daniel as Minutes Secretary, the mayor then proceeded to read her welcome address in which she said, “We all know that the years past have been awkward for obvious reasons and many expectations difficult to achieve to a greater extent.” She also disclosed that some councilors and council workers have just had a bitter share of the repercussions of the crisis as individuals and the Mbengwi council as a whole hasn’t been able to function to its fullest capacity.
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| Session |
As time went on, matters became serious. Minutes of the previous session (November 2018) were then reviewed and moved for adoption by Councilor Tezi Sera seconded by Councilor Foje Margerate. This will then usher in committee reports beginning with Works Committee that questioned the mayor on why Mbengwi Council dropped from the 4th to the 10th position according to the latest P.N.D.P Performance Basket Annalysis. P.N.D.P, the National Community Driven Development Program is one of the most cherished partners of councils in Cameroon. The Embellishment Committee in its own report, appreciated the mayor for the environmentally friendly trees that are growing healthily and beautifying the streets of Mbengwi town. Other reports came in from the Heath and Education Committee, Natural Resources Committee and lastly, the Finance Committee.
After the reports, full deliberations then started, beginning with a general reaction from the S.D.O who expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which session was proceeding. However, considering that it is probably out of ignorance, Absalom Monono Woloa briefly schooled the councilors on what’s expected of them during an Administrative Accounts Session. He told them it is to question the mayor on the level of realization of the 2018 projects and resolutions they adopted, that they are to ask the mayor to render them account (financially inclusive) on what’s been done, where, at what level and if they are satisfied. “Do not be a rubber stamp” Monono told the councilors who will giggled when he added that “I know many of you here have only come to collect your seating allowances.”
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| Cross section of councillors and service heads in session |
His lessons were positively received and appreciated. “If you think that the learning process will ever stop, then you are mistaken and once you accept to learn, you improve” said Tebe Beatrice in reaction to the S.D.Os reaction. The Municipal Treasurer, Mr. Gwain Nicholas then read the financial account from which one could deduce a drastic drop in revenue collection. While many account the reason for this to the current escalating crisis, to the S.D.O, it is rather because workers don’t want to work and as such have tagged Mbengwi the worst place to work in yet they keep collecting their monthly salaries thus milking the council and state coffers dry.
Upon completion of the exercise and following orders of such a session, the mayor then had to temporarily lost possession of her seat on the high table for a pro tem chair to be elected by the councilors and as usual, just as has been the case with Councilor Tembeng Daniel to always be elected minutes secretary, so too has it been with councilor Tezi Sera to always be elected pro tem chair following what’s now known within the council circles as “as usual.” Her mission was to coordinate the councilors in the adoption of the Administrative Account, Annual Investment Plan among others which she did. Summarily, the Mbengwi Council’s 2018 Administrative Accounts in revenue and expenditure stands as follows:
~ Revenue: 462.317.352F (Four hundred and sixty two million, three hundred and seventeen thousand, three hundred and fifty two) Francs
~ Expenditure: 343.221.247F (Three hundred and forty three million, two hundred and twenty one thousand, two hundred and forty seven) Francs
~ Carried Forward: 119.095.765F (One hundred and nineteen million, ninety five thousand, seven hundred and sixty five) Francs.
By now, tiredness and hunger had set in thus many were itchy to hurry over things but were cautioned by the supervisory authority, the S.D.O that “It is not because we are tired, hungry and time is against us that we should just move everything correct.” He will then continue to present his closing speech at the end of which the mayor on behalf of the councilors offered him a congratulatory handshake for its content. Session then rose to an end with a promise to hold the midterm evaluation session provided the means permits.
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