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COUNCILLORS VOTE AN AMBITIOUS BUDGET FOR RECONCILIATION AND RECONSTRUCTION FOR 2020

By Stephen Ojang

Councillors of the Wum Council have braved the odds and broken the even to examine, scrutinize, vote and adopt the 2020 Budget for the Wum Council. Charged with the power to transform their various constituencies, these councilors have adopted the 2020 budget that balances in revenue and Expenditure at the sum of Nine hundred and thirty five million, three hundred and thirty thousand (935,330.000) Francs CFA, this represents an increase of 16.2% of the Budget for 2019. The Investment Budget is Five hundred and seventy four million, One hundred  and Ninety two thousand, seven hundred and sixty seven  (574,192,767) francs CFA, giving a percentage of 61.4% which is more than the stipulated minimum amount of at least 40% of the total Budget.
  The operating or functional expenses stand at Three hundred and sixty one million, one hundred and thirty seven thousand two hundred and thirty three (361.137.233) Francs that is 38.6% which is less than the prescribed maximum of 60% of the total Budget. The personnel expenses is Ninety eight million two hundred and twenty seven thousand, two hundred and thirty three (98.227.233) Francs, that gives a percentage of 27.2% of the functional budget, which is again is less than the required maximum of 35% of the functional Budget.
 To Councilor Dighambong Anthony Mvo, Lord Mayor of Wum Council, the increase takes into cognizance, state credits. Baptized as “the budget of Reconciliation and Reconstruction”, the 2020 Budget can be described as ambitious, visible and above all realistic, since 60% of the budget is investment oriented.
Welcoming councilors and other guests, the Lord Mayor called for a minute of silence in honour of all those who lost their lives in the current socio-political stalemate rocking the North-West and South-West Regions. He then proceeded to enumerate the projects earmarked for the year 2019. These include;
The above statistics have been streamlined to realize the projects below, whose details can be gotten from the annual Investment  Plan drawn out village by village and as per their different Ministries  and of course the cost attached. The projects are:
-         Supply of 2 tables and 2 chairs to GS Zatesang,
-         Construction of a blokc of 2 classrooms and a regular Office in GS Zatesang;
-         Supply of Benches to GS Zatesang;
-         Supply of materials for inclusive education
-         Supply of teaching Aids for Inclusive education;
-         Support to BIHNDUMLEM for the Empowering of rural woen in Economic and social Life;
-         Rehabitation of GPS Group I;
-         Rehabilitation of GPS groups II;
-         Supply of Benches to some Primary Schools;
-         Construction of 34 Market Sheds in the wum main market;
-         Support in the LRAS in the fight against Plastic materials;
-         Construction of an Agric Post in the Wum council;
-         Rehabilitation of the Naikom - Ketcha – Naikom Road (11Km)
-         Grading of (9KM) of some streets in Wum Town;
-         Equipment of Ukpwa Health Centre
-         Equipment of Wum District Hospital;
-         Equipment of Bu Health Centre;
-         Support to Vulnerable population in Wum Council;
-         Equipment of Women Empowerment Centre Wum;
-         Rehabilitation of the Women Empowerment Centre in Wum Council;
-         Construction of a mini  fence round the Women Empowerment Centre in Wum;
-         Construction of Wum main roundabout;
-         Purchase of second handed Front head loader;
-         Opening of gutters from TRADEX Petrol station to Lake Nyos Hotel;
-         Construction of a metallic culvert (D.1.000) between Sir Wallang’s building and the main market
-         Construction of an Embarkment behind the  Wum main market
-         Construction of a vip toilet at the wum council office
-         Rehabilitation of water source at waindo
-         Rehabilitation of two classroom at GS Aguli
-         Organization of Wum council Tournament;
-         Construction of a Box culvert on JOPACC road;
-         Rehabilitation of Catchment and Extension of water in Cheregha village;
-         Construction of a Monument at Post Office roundabout         
Representing The Senior Divisional Officer for Menchum Division, Mr. Oteh Philip, lauded the efforts of the Wum Council in fostering development, as councilors adopted the 2020 budget despite the tensions. He used the occasion to call on all to see what to do at one’s level, to end violence, by being bearers of message of peace to separatist fighters since they all are our brothers.
To him, since the struggle began, we have not found the direction to the solution therefore; we all need to move towards finding a lasting solution to the crisis by ending hostilities. Stopping does not mean that the battle is lost, but a strategic halt to give chance to a long lasting solution.
          He also appreciated the council for selecting projects from the Council Development Plan CDP, thereby ensuring equitable development of the municipality as per planning.
Mayor Dighambong Anthony Mvo called on councilors, the Council Exco, the administration and partners of the council to collaborate to help realize the budget which is only a draft. He said the council is going through tough times due to the prevailing socio-political crisis in the region with many businesses reluctant to pay their taxes.
Mrs. Berthy Bikuchung Cheng Edickson
He also used the occasion to appreciate the Secretary General of Wum Council, Mrs Berthy Bikuchung Cheng Edickson, for her selfless services to the wellbeing and Development of the Wum Council. She moves to Kumbo Council in same capacity.
The Council Session was also a perfect opportunity for the Mayor to present the awards he received during these difficult moments. One as best Mayor of the North-West region and one as the only anglophone participant at an international training for local administration, in Korea by the Korean International Cooperation Agency, KOICA.
Mayor brandishing cerificate from Korea
Mayor presenting award from AFRIK-INFO.COM
The major sources of revenue would remain taxes, fiscal revenue, transfers from the state and proceeds from council property.
Closing the session, The Mayor of Wum Council, implored the councilors to put the interest of their population above all other and for each to contribute their quota to meet up with the target of the municipality. He advised them to take the current crisis as a challenge, go out and sensitize the population in order to meet up with the target of the budget of Reconciliation and Reconstruction.
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