SW Mayors debunk strike plans

The Mayors say they are open for dialogue with government towards a review of their salary situation
By Sirri NTONIFOR TANGWE in Kumba
The President of the South-West Regional Bureau of the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (U.C.C.C.), Aboko Patrick Anki, has debunked claims that mayors in Cameroon are planning a sit-down strike in August 2015 to protest against the catechist salaries allocated for them by government. He was addressing fellow mayors, senators and other personalities on the occasion of the South-West U.C.C.C. General Assembly Meeting which held on July 17 2015 in Kumba.
    The mayor of the Kombo-Abedimo Council in the Bakassi Peninsula allayed anxiety created by information contained in a press release issued by the National Coordination of Mayors and Councilors of Cameroon (N.C.M.C.C.) claiming that mayors and councilors in the country would engage a series of actions to protest the ill-treatment they are subjected to by government.
    The planned remonstrative actions by the mayors include a one-month sit-down strike starting from 1st August 2015. The strike would culminate in a protest march to the Governors’ Offices of the ten regions on 1st October 2015, according to the release, which added that whilst at the Governors’ Offices the mayors would present a memo to the respective Governors explaining their grievances. 

    However, the South West UCCC president has assured that contrary to what is contained in the mayors’ press release, mayors and councilors of the South-West Region are not bracing up for any industrial action; rather they are willing to dialogue with the government towards a review of their salary situation.
    It should be recalled that since 2009, successive ministers of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, notably Marafa Hamidou Yaya and Rene Emmanuel Sadi, have always assured mayors that the government has earmarked billions in view of an eventual payment of their salaries.
    Recently on 5 July 2013 during a plenary sitting of the National assembly, Prime Minister Philemon Yunji Yang said the law bearing on the modalities for the payment of salaries to mayors was being fine-tuned. He said that municipal authorities would be remunerated through special financial allocations provided to councils.
    However, mayors in the country expressed reservation over the numerous excuses and promises by the government; they said there’s every indication the government is only playing for time and has no serious intention to pay them salaries anytime soon.
    Mayors noted during the Kumba G.A. that most local councils cannot hire qualified staff due to the very difficult financial condition under which they operate.
    However, Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, former mayor of Mbonge Council and member of the National Council on Decentralisation, has revealed that senators are advocating a 10% increase in decentralisation credits for council this, to enable the councils to finance at least their recurrent expenditure. Otte Mofa reassured the mayors that the government is prioritising the issue of their sala    ries.
For his part, former Buea mayor and erstwhile UCCC South West President, Senator Charles Mbella Moki, urged the mayors to build their capacities if they must adequately consume their decentralization allocations. Senator Mbella Moki exhorted mayors to create networks and forge fruitful partnerships with stakeholder institutions at home and abroad. He advised mayors to always share ideas with MPs of their localities towards concerted solutions to problems of general interest.
Boasting about his bureau’s exploits since their election last September 8, Mayor Aboki declared that they now have a secured, well-equipped office with permanent staff. He added that all was on course to activate divisional branches of the union.
    Mr. Aboki used the occasion to call on mayors to contribute morally and financially to the fight against the Boko Haram sect.
    Also present at the encounter were the representative of the South-West Governor, the Meme Senior Divisional Officer, the South-West FEICOM boss and South-West Regional P.N.D.P Coordinator.