The Lord Mayor of WUM Council, Councillor Dighambong Anthony Mvo, has matched words with action, as he went down to the field to supervise and appraise the works done by the 260 holiday makers recruited by the WUM Council for the 2020 holiday jobs.
The Municipal Magistrate expressed joy and satisfaction at the sight of what the students have been able to do. Blocked gutters dug up, streets kept clean and breathing fresh air as ornamental trees are planted, to beautify the city.
Since 2014, the Wum Council has been empowering youths financially through holiday jobs. Year in year out, these youths have dug blocked gutters, planted ornamental trees and flowers to beautify the municipality and also helped in keeping public premises clean.
In 2019, the number of intake of holiday makers rose geometrically to 200 as the Member of Parliament for Menchum South, Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua, added 50 to the 150 recruited by the Council. This number followed the 101 taken in 2018 by the Council in partnership with Pari Mutuel Urbain Camerounais PMUC. This year, the Wum Council went on to recruit 200 while the Member of Parliament for Menchum South, Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua, added 60 to make a total of 260 youths recruited to keep the Wum municipality clean.
The peculiarity in the 2020 holiday jobs is the inclusive policy of the Council, as some persons with disabilities and some town youths were brought on board.
During the general orientation talks, the Mayor of Wum Council, Councillor Dighambong Anthony Mvo, saluted the bravery of the youths as they made up their minds to go back to school. The Council therefore respected the tradition of offering holiday jobs so as to enable them get what they need ahead of time for schools resumption.
"I was overwhelmed with joy when I came and saw this crowd. I regret not haven taken part in your interviews and selection session, because of the numerous duties and assignment I had to carry out on your behalf.
The Council can only function well when the Mayor is able to go out and lobby projects and source for their fundings too. I am your hunter. I go out to bring the game amd leave it behind so you can share among yourselves.
If we were not hardworking, we wouldn't have been able to do what we are doing; taking you for holiday jobs and this for the past six years running. With the present stalemate in the two english speaking regions of our Country Cameroon, many councils have stopped holiday jobs while other councils don't have the finances needed to do so.
We are able to do it because of the love we have for you as well as the wellbeing of our population. Our wish therefore is that at the end of this exercise, you should be able to acquire your school needs and go back to school. We were gladdened last year by the fact some of you who worked last year used the money to purchase matrasses since they could not afford sleeping on bare floor as a result of the ongoing socio-political crisis. Permit me say here that the purchase of these matrasses is a meaningful development.
do not take this money and misuse it. The money is the sweat of the whole community. If you are planning to misuse it at the end of this exercise, you better have a rethink. The joy the community is giving you through this holiday jobs is not sufficient but that is what we can give you. After all, it is often said that the most beautiful woman in the world can only give what she has.
Through your judiscious use of the money, everyone around you will feel the joy to belong to the Wum municipality. we will do all what we can to make sure you remain happy because that is our responsibility. I recently attended a workshop that helped to open my mind. The workshop was themed Recruiting everyone except THEM. This is because we often neglect those persons living with disabilities whenever we are recruiting. This year, am happy that we have changed the narrative by Recruiting everyone including themTHEM, as we have recuited two persons with mobility impairment and a person with hearing impairment, making a total of 3. The number is insignificant regarding the total number taken for this year. The council is therefore challenged to step up the number in subsequent years. That we shall do because it is our corporate social responsibility. They are part of our municipality. We cannot talk development without them."
The students and town youths have started the three months long holiday jobs that will end on September 30th 2020 with a grand prize award ceremony that will be chaired by the SDO for Menchum.
By Stephen Ojang
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