That 50 Million Raising Dust at the Mbengwi Council

• That 50 Million Raising Dust at the Mbengwi Council

There goes an adage that it's the end that justifies the means. Another says he who laughs last laughs best. This is very true of the Mbengwi council as at the tail end of her 6 years mandate, Mayor Tebe Beatrice just backed home a colossus fifty million booty for the Mbengwi council, an amount obtained from the PNDP Performance Basket Award for local councils for the year 2019.

Mayor Presents Award to Fons

For the purpose of development and improvement of living standards of council areas, the Cameroon Government mandated the National Community Driven Development Program (PNDP) to facilitate local councils in carrying out projects in most localities in Cameroon meant to improve on the livelihoods of the people.  PNDP supervises the implementation of rural development projects financed by the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD). One of the methods used to do this is through the organisation of the Performance Desk Award annually.

It was on Wednesday November 13th 2019 that councillors of the Mbengwi council met for the holding of the 2020 budgetary session meant to establish an expected revenue and expenditure framework for next year.  The council budget is a guide to the working principles of the institution prepared based on legal and standard procedure to ensure that it is achievable. 

2019 Mbengwi Council Budgetary Session

Chaired by the mayor under the supervisory authority of the Senior Divisional Officer for Momo, the session commenced with an opening speech from  Mayor Tebe in which she applauded her colleagues (councillors) for not relenting their efforts despite the hazardous previous years. She noted with regret the extinction of local revenue sources like the Tad market, Mbon market and Cattle market where no single franc was collected alongside the closure of the council feed mill and the irregular support from FEICOM amongst other setbacks thus making management really tight.

As a result,  the budget of the Mbengwi council for 2020 has dropped from six hundred and ninety nine millions, two hundred and forty seven thousand,  four hundred and sixty seven (699. 274.467) Frs for this year  to six hundred and eighty three millions, nine hundred and twenty thousand and two (683.920.002) Frs for next year.

Mayor Tebe & the Booty

In spite of these difficulties,  the council according to the mayor,  still succeeded to record ground breaking achievements like training more than 75 youths in the manufacturing of pavement blocks even though from findings,  the outcome of this project has little to be desired. Mbengwi Council was amongst the two councils in the North West that benefitted from the endeavour and largesse of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ketcha Coutes. Through the Association of Female Mayors of Cameroon that lobbied for funds from France,  Mbengwi Council was offered 33 solar street lights that are today Illuminating the municipality at night. 

During deliberations at the council session,  committee reports were presented at the end of which the mayor reacted to some of the concerns raised. The health committee for example quizzed the mayor on why the municipality especially the Mbon area is dirty. In response,  the mayor said even in Bamenda, waste management is a problem but fortunately,  a waste management program shall soon be put in place in Mbengwi through MINHDU.

The Award Proper

She further appreciated quaters that have been carrying out clean up campaigns and road maintenance works like Mile 18, Muswe and the villages that worked on the Mile 20 - Njindom - Mbemi stretch of road. This goes in line with the new council plan of action  to focus on local solutions to solving local problems. She encouraged quarters and villages to notify the council each time they're carrying out such community works. 

Discussions went sour when the aging councillor Anapa Isaac of Njaah openly told the mayor "For six years that we've been here,  I cannot remember anything that this council has done for the area where I come from.  I've spent six wasted years here in the council. If not of what we had from the central ainistratiom,  I would've been going back empty handed at the end of mandate" Even when councillor Fonanih Johnas pointed out a 50 millions worth project for Njaah in the upcoming budget,  Councillor Anapa refuted saying its just paper work. The mayor fought back saying development must not be in a particular area before it's appreciated. She cited the recently constructed cattle market in Acha-Tugi as an example of a council project that shall benefit Njaah.

Mayor & Quarter Heads

After the frank discussions,  mayor Tebe Beatrice then presented an award she won for the council. Hear her; "I bring to you this little token granted to us as a result of hard work and assiduity. Three years after the introduction of the PNDP Performance Basket Award as a tool to enhance local development by encouraging councils to maximise their efforts in the decentralisation process,  Mbengwi Council grabbed second position for the N.W region thus bringing home the sum of 50 millions in Mandat and a certificate which I here present" This good news was received with applauds as the mayor then posed for pictures with several constituted personalities present,  carrying her booty in hand. In joy, she told her colleagues "We have actually studied together and my wish is that we all come back together but remember end of mandate is not end of work."

While closing the session,  the S.D.O for Momo, Fouda Etaba Bernoit Nicaise thanked and congratulated the council for the achievement and for being the first within the division to hold it's 2020 budgetary session within the stipulated time. "This budget will be meaningful only if the population of this municipality benefit from it" the supervisory authority cautioned. He encouraged the council executive to ensure that projects to be executed in 2020 are taken from the Council Development Plan. "As concerns other preoccupations raised by the councillors,  we should all bear with me that because of the present insecurity,  many projects aren't ongoing or have been stopped. Our children are causing the under development of this municipality by this insecurity" the S.D.O ended.

Mayor & Friends

This was the last session held by councillors of the Mbengwi council as come February 9th 2019, Cameroonian's shall be going to the poles to vote  new councillors and parliamentarians. In the past,  council elections were highly animated in Mbengwi but with the current situation of insecurity it's still unclear how aspirants will go about campaigning. Separatist fighters commonly known as Amba Boys are said to have banned anything in the form of elections in Anglophone Cameroon and have promised to kidnap any aspirant that defies their order.