L’be City Council votes whopping FCFA 7 bn as budget for 2017

-Creates football club to maximize use of Omnisports, Bota and Centenary stadia

By AminatehNkemngu

Andrew MotangaMonjimba

The Limbe City Council has adopted an ambitious budget of FCFA 7 Billion for the 2017 financial year and also created a football club to maximize the use of the ultra-modern stadia put in place ahead of the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations that the city co-hosted. The colossal sum was adopted during the Budgetary Session of the Council that took place on Friday 16 December 2016.

                Speaking at the conclave, the Government Delegate to the Limbe City Council, Andrew MotangaMonjimba explained that the 2017 budget was designed to improve on the quality of life of the denizens of Limbe through the provision of basic social amenities as well as to sustain the reputation of the city which has been greatly boosted after it successfully hosted the Female African Cup of Nations.

                While presenting the budget proposal, Mr Andrew Motanga pointed out that the budget which is balanced in income and expenditure at the sum of FCFA 7 Billion is the same like that of 2016. He said out of this amount 52 % will go for recurrent expenditure while 42 % will be used for investment.

                In a constant bid to improve on the living conditions of the population of the city, Motanga Andrew Monjimba said the council will in the course of 2017 embark on the tarring of the Towe road, as well as the construction of gutters and culverts on the road linking the Regional Hospital through the Unity Quarters to the Public Security Police Station. Several other roads in the municipality will also be improved while the sum of 200 million fcfa will be used to give the Limbe Regional Hospital a facelift.

Another sum of 70 million frs will be spent to provide stand taps in the city; 80 million fcfa will be paid to HYSACAM for garbage management, while 40 million fcfa will be dolled out to students within the municipality as scholarships

                Also construction work on the Council Hotel located opposite Bota Customs will be completed while convenient space for all women roasting fish in Limbe will be created and all of them relocated there. The Government Delegate also announced that the council will continue to support the construction of community halls in all villages in the city while the creation of green parks in the city will continue.

                A landmark and most welcome resolution in the 2017 action plan of the City Council is the creation of a football club known as the Limbe Football Club Association, abbreviated as LIFCA.

                The Government Delegate noted that Limbe was blessed with three modern stadiums of international standard to host the Female African Cup of Nations. He said in order to make maximum use of these beautiful sports infrastructures, as well as properly maintain them Limbe needs to have more than one football team.

                To this end he announced that after due consultation and in association with its partners, it was decided that the new football club will be a public limited company with the City Council as the majority shareholder, while the other partners like SONARA and CDC have equally expressed the desire to also own shares in the club.

                Yet, Andrew Motanga was quick to point out that this does not mean the Limbe City Council will no longer support other teams existing in the City of Limbe. He cited the case of Victoria United which is receiving and will continue to receive constant support from the council.

                Fielding questions from the Senior Councilors, Motanga explained that despite having all the needed equipment, the fire fighting brigade of the city council has not been able to take-off because an authorization must be obtained from the Ministry of Defense to run a fire fighting brigade. He noted that as of now no council in Cameroon runs a fire brigade, but efforts are underway to convince the Ministry of Defense to issue the required authorization.

                On what is happening to the Limbe West Bank Maritime Project, the Government Delegate said many potential partners have expressed interest, but the council has yet to reach a deal with any funding partners. Proposals for the council to begin the project in small segments were also raised.

                As to the thorny issue of clandestine transportation at the Half Mile area, the Government Delegate regretted that all attempts to bring the perpetrators, mostly military men, to order, have met with a stone wall.

                Another worrisome concern was the inability of the council to retrieve money owed it by the state, a problem attributed to the change of names and status from Limbe Urban Council to Limbe City Council.

                The Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Zang III on his part said the councilors should throw their weight fully behind the Government Delegate for the realization of his action plan and should desist from gossips, backstabbing and backbiting. He lauded the population of Limbe for not yielding to violence, reminding them that Limbe today stands as the most beautiful city in the country and all must put hands on deck for this status to be maintained.

                To this end, he announced that the maintenance of public order and hygiene and sanitation which started before the AFCON will continue as soon as the end-of-year feasts are over. He further revealed that the budget of the Limbe City Council increased by 1 billion from last year because of the payment of tax arrears by SONARA.

                He reminded all that despite all the skirmishes from different interest groups, Cameroon remains one, indivisible and united in its diversity.

                A motion of support to President Paul Biya sanctioned deliberations at the budgetary session.