Fcfa 180m B’da II Town Hall inaugurated

MINATD and FEICOM laud Awah Fidelis’ Managerial Prowess
By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, MINATD, Emmanuel Rene Sadi accompanied by the General Manager of the Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM, Philippe Camille Akoa have inaugurated the newly constructed Bamenda II Sub Divisional Council Town Hall.

    The imposing structure funded by FEICOM to the tune of FCFA 180 Million has 25 offices, the Mayor’s apartment, 13 toilets and two kitchens.
   

Caption

FEICOM Boss Camille Akoa(arms folded) flanked by Minadt and FEICOM officials

Magnificent B’da 11 Town Hall

 

    In his inaugural speech, Minister Emmanuel Rene Sadi applauded the General Manager of FEICOM, Philippe Camille Akoa and his staff “for their efforts in helping municipal authorities to meet up with their commitments for the development of their councils and the benefits of their people”.
    “We appreciate every market, every bridge, every town hall, every water or electricity project that bears the mark of FEICOM”.
The crowd-puller ceremony on April 17, 2014 at the council premises was an opportunity for Minister Emmanuel Rene Sadi to laud the managerial prowess of Awah Fidelis, a quality the MNIATD Boss said partly explains why the entire population of the Bamenda II municipality renewed their confidence in him.

    Harping on the importance of a town hall to the population Rene Sadi said the imposing Bamenda II Council Hall had many lessons to be drawn from it.
    Firstly, the Minister said the structure signifies that the policy of decentralization as defined by the Head of State and implemented by the government is on the move adding that the “instruments put in place by the government to accompany municipalities in their quest for development are functioning in a proper manner”.
The building the minister observed also indicates the political maturity of the Cameroonian electorate who will not hesitate to cast their votes where their interests lie. 
    In his welcome address the visibly satisfied Mayor of the Bamenda II sub divisional council, Ballick Fidelis Awah thanked the Minister for leaving other pressing issues on his table to come to in person to inaugurate the Town Hall.
    Though visibly satisfied, the Mayor pressed for the tarring of the road leading to the council premises and the increase in the number of councilors of the council from the current 31 to 35 using law No 2004/18 of 24 July 2004 as backing.
    Mayor Ballick also lobbied for the creation of a Bamenda IV Council to cater for the villages of Mbatu, Nsongwa and Chombaarguing that the present site of the new council hall, 14 kilometers into Mankon is making it difficult for them to make use of the council services.
    The Mayor equally pressed for the demarcation of administrative boundaries between the City Council and the Sub-divisional council where their competences overlap creating conflicts in revenue collection and service delivery.
    He    ended by appealing on the Minister that Mayors and Councilors like every elected government official should be put in a salary scale.
    Taking the queue, FEICOM GM, Philippe Camille Akoa appreciated the quality of work done and explained that FEICOM’s decision to fund the Town Hall project was inline with “government’s policy of ensuring that at least 60 percent of public services should be accommodated by 2020 as outlined in the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper”.
    He revealed that FEICOM has so far sponsored some 184 projects in the North West region with funding amounting to close to FCFA 14 billion. Of this amount the Bamenda II Council alone was granted a total of FCFA 241 million for the construction of the Town Hall and two bridges.
    As regards the redistribution of the Additional Council Taxes, ACT, and the Council Taxes Subject Equalization, CTSE, Philippe Camille Akoa said the Bamenda II Council was given FCFA 660 million.