At Swearing-In Ceremony:

New Tiko Mayor Promises Water Supply

By Boris Esono in Tiko

R-L Mayor Chief Peter Ikome Mesoso, Andrew Engange Efite, first Deputy Mayor, Alisa Isa, second Deputy, Mukwele Elimina Ayibe epouse Ngomba, third Deputy and Ikome Valery, fourth Deputy Mayor

“If the water crisis was a ghost, then we will have fasting and prayers to get the ghost leave the people. If it was in the form of a human being, we will catch the person by the neck. One writer said “get the bull by the horn” so we have already taken this water issue by the horn. In less than three months we will start working on the field and digging the pipelines.”

                This was the assurance given by the new Mayor of Tiko, Chief Peter Ikome Mesoso as he and his four Deputies took the oath of office, on 12 March 2020, at the Tiko Court of First Instance.

                “We have prioritized water supply as the most pressing need of our people. There’s also the problem of inter-connecting roads (accessibility). I can state here and now that in no distant future the population of Tiko will start feeling the impact and start harvesting the fruits of our labour because we have already started working,” Mayor Mesoso said.

                Mayor Peter Ikome Mesoso will be assisted by four Deputies - Andrew Engange Efite as first Deputy Mayor, Alisa Isa as second Deputy, Mukwele Elimina Ayibe epouse Ngomba as third Deputy and Ikome Valery Ndisa as fourth Deputy. 

                Presiding over the ceremony, Justice Lilian Enanga Ajorin called on the Mayor and his executives to live up to the pledges they made to the population.

                “You (Mayor) made promises and it should not just be promises. The cries of the population consist of roads, water and social amenities amongst others. If all of you put your hands together, you can achieve some of the issues if not all,” she said.

                “The needs of the population should come first and not yourself. Do not let your people down. They are expecting a lot from these new executive. They are expecting to see a difference which might see you re-elected if they appreciate your efforts and output,” Justice Ajorin added.

                For his part, the State Counsel at the Tiko Court of First Instance, Mba Azem Aurelien-Donald, raised the issue of poor civil status registration in the municipality. According to him, the council executives should exercise caution in the discharge of their duties especially with respect to civil status registration.

                He warned against corruption, undue demands and material influence in the discharge of the services they have been voted to perform. He cited examples like the delivery of fake birth certificates to foreigners who may want to obtain Cameroonian nationality; issuing birth certificates to persons who want to change their age, something which he said is rampant in the Tiko Municipality.

                Responding to the observations of the Officers of the Law, Mayor Mesoso promised to together with his deputies apply the rules and regulations in force. He said all documents submitted for registration or signature would be thoroughly scrutinized.

                The Mayor and his four Deputies amongst other things swore on oath to discharge their duties in respect for the laws and regulations, and to serve the population without discrimination and favouritism.

                They swore to preserve and maintain the council property, issue building/demolition permits, prescribe revenue allocation amongst others. 

                The problems of the Tiko municipality are enormous and consist of epileptic or toptal lack of portable water supply; roads begging for rehabilitation; and epileptic electricity supply.

                The new Mayor has already been on the field to size up the challenges ahead and to figure out how the issue of water supply to Mutengene and Tiko can be addressed. Chief Mesoso and his deputies on 5 March 2020, visited the Ekande Village water catchment that will supply water to Mutengene and some localities of Tiko.

                “We had started working since the day they did the technical handover. The swearing-in has just come to add to our strength. My sole mission as Mayor is to work. I will not discriminate against whosoever and for whatever reason. I promise to eschew bribery and corruption. I know some people will be happy with it, while others won’t like it. But if I think what I am doing is right I will do it.”

                An inhabitant of Tiko who spoke to this reporter, said: “I expect the Mayor to be himself. I do not want him to be another person other than himself. I want him to listen to the cry of the population. He should give priority only to the demands of people in authority and/or the councillors. The major cry of the population is the provision of water which is like a curse in the municipality. The roads in Tiko equally need rehabilitation. Mayors have come and gone, but no one has ever tried to solve the road problem. I hope that the new mayor will be different.”