Nkum Council Validates 2017 Accounts

By Njodzefe Nestor  in Bamenda

Councilors of Nkum Council during accounts session

Councilors of Nkum Council sitting in an ordinary session on April 3, 2018 at the Nkum Council Hall deliberated and adopted the 2015 Administrative, Management and Stores Accounts of the council in the presence of the SDO for Bui.

            In a succinct explanation of how the money was raised and spent, the Mayor of Nkum Council, Suila Aruna Kidze revealed that the 2015 Accounts for Nkum Council stands at FCFA 252.172.641 in revenue with FCFA 1.798.359 brought forward from 2016. Total expenditure he said stands at FCFA 252.131.478 leaving an excess of FCFA 41.163 carried forward to 2018.

            “When we compare the situation with that of last year, we realize that revenue dropped by FCFA 121.443.109 from the FCFA 373.615.750 we had in 2016.  The percentage drop is 32.50%.  Expenditure drop in value terms amounted to FCFA 119.655.913 from the FCFA 371.817.391 spent last year.  The percentage drop in expenditure stands at 32.19%. If we continue loosing this much in one year, then I am afraid we may come to nought in the next two years” he regretted.

            “We have to acknowledge the fact that 2017 has been a very difficult year - a year characterized by threats and uncertainty; a year in which the business climate dwindled to one of its lowest ebbs ever; a year in which the payment of taxes has witnessed a catastrophic fall.  With all these, we cannot expect anything better than the previous year” he added. 

            As to how the money was spent, Mayor Suila Aruna Kidze said in the education domain they carried out feasibility studies for the construction of classrooms and offices in eleven schools throughout the municipality. The project files for these schools he said have been forwarded to FEICOM.

            He however noted with satisfaction that the Council assisted GBHS Nseh in the construction of their science laboratory and GS Ntubanyam with roofing sheets to roof a community built classroom in the school.

            Fir water and energy, the Mayor noted that Nkum Council in partnership withPNDP opted to provide water in the communities of Dzeng and Ndzenso.

            “These communities had identical needs – a new catchment to ensure sustainability, additional storage tank to boast capacity and additional stand-pipes to widen area supplied.  The Council paid her own contribution to the projects; the contracts have been awarded and we look forward forworktobegin soon” he noted.

            In the energy sector, Mayor Aruna revealed that solar lamps have been installed in the council premises. 

            “These lamps are mainly to light the premises in the night especially during frequent and prolonged power cuts.  Part of the solar energy is used for minimal operations like printing in the offices during power cuts” he observed.

            As for the Council Development Plan the mayor regretted that the review exercise is slow but called on Positive Vision Cameroon, the organization contracted to do the up-date to hasten up with the technical part.

            Concerning roads, he noted that the FCFA 27.000.000 allocation for Nkum Council for 2017 was used to do the stretch of road from Mbohgwem to Nseh Fon’s Palace and from Tatum to Waikov.

            In the domain Of health, one of the partnerships that brought results the mayor revealed was the Nkum Council/CBC Health Services SEEPD Program partnership which he said led to the “training of 50 persons on American Sign Language to facilitate communication with persons with hearing impairment and a sensitization talk on the safe usage of motor-bikes”.