Buea Council budgets over 2 billion for 2018

By Boris Esono in Buea

Mayor of Buea, Patrick Esunge Ekema

Councilors of the Buea council have voted an ambitious budget of over 2 billion for the 2018 financial year. The budget was voted on 19 December during the second ordinary council session of the council which was devoted to the examination and adoption of the draft budget for the 2018 fiscal year.

                The budget for 2018 as presented before the plenary was balanced in revenue and expenditure at FCFA two billion two hundred and fifty eight million one hundred and ninety thousand (2,258,190,000), giving a 10% increase compared to the 2017 budget which stood at FCFA two billion, fifty two million, nine hundred thousand (2,052,900,000).

                Looking at the 2018 financial budget which stands at FCFA 2,258,190,000 cannot be undermined by any financial analyst as the gap between 2012-2018 stands at 55.72%. Looking at the administrative accounts for the above periods, realization rates has never been less than 65%.

                According to the Mayor of Buea, Patrick Esunge Ekema, the council though endowed with rich resources has had to grapple with problems due to poor collaboration of stakeholders with undeclared backing-outs, feet-dragging, backstabbing and other counter-productive machinations being the order of the day at the council.

                “We see this as people mounting speed brakes to retard our unstoppable progress. Added to these machinations were the ghost towns that were religiously observed and which dealt a serious blow to the economy of the entire region,” Mayor Ekema said, however noting that normalcy is gradually returning as the ghost towns are dying down due to various measures taken by the council and the administration.

                In terms of revenue collection, Mayor Ekema Patrick said the council intends to make efficient use of her human resources to improve follow up of tax and levies collection. He said door-to-door controls will be intensified.

                To boost mobility of council personnel in the discharge of their duties, four brand new four-wheel-drive vehicles were purchased by the council and presented to the councilors.

                Councilors also took time to tour the newly created municipal library that will soon be equipped with modern information technologies.

                The budget adoption was supervised by the 1st Asst. SDO for Fako, Bejedi Otto William, who called on councilors to be united in fostering development in their municipality.

                The Buea council executed the following projects in 2017: Construction of culverts in Ndongo; supply of benches at GTC Bova; maintenance of earth road and the construction of culverts at federals quarters, construction of VIP water system toilets around the Regional hospital amongst others.