Limbe Cement Factory Project Approved

By Francis Tim Mbom

The Government has approved the construction of a cement factory by Chinese investors at Bimbia, Limbe, Southwest Region, The Post has learnt. The Mayor of the Limbe III Council (Bimbia), Samuel Mokate Esebou, disclosed the information December 29, 2008, during the budgetary session of the Council.

He said the documents permitting the Chinese to construct the cement factory have been signed. Although he did not tell when construction work would begin, he expressed optimism that by June this year, the on-going documentation work might have been completed.

The project is the second cement factory project that is being awaited by the population of Limbe after that of the Koreans. In January 2008, Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni approved another cement factory by a Korean Consortium that was supposed to have begun last April. Till date, work is yet to start at the site.

Meantime, during the Limbe III budgetary session, the councillors voted a draft budget of FCFA 450 million for 2009. Of the above sum, going by the Mayor, FCFA 296.3 million shall be dedicated to the payment of salaries and purchase of office equipment while FCFA 153.6 million shall be invested in projects such as roads, water and electricity.

The Limbe III budgetary session came on the heels of that of Limbe II (Mokundange) which took place earlier. Here, the Mayor, Andrew Motanga Monjimba, and his councillors voted a budget of FCFA 650 million, with an increase of FCFA 200 million compared to the 2008 budget. In spite of the increase, the Mayor said he would drop a project for the construction of council office because they were yet to secure land.

Motanga stressed that his focus would be to provide pipe borne water to the people of Mukunda and Mokundange.Besides, he said: “We envisage, amongst other things, the acquisition of land for a municipal cemetery and a truck park for SONARA tankers.”

Also, the Limbe I Council, headed by Mayor Daniel Matute Lyonga, voted FCFA 475 million as budget for 2009, with priority being the provision of roads, electricity and water.

Fako SDO, Jules Marcellin Ndjaga, and his First Assistant, Johnson Malafa Mochi, cautioned the various Mayors and their councillors to work hard in finding new revenue generation sources instead of hinging their budgets more on expected contributions from the City Council, FEICOM and other external bodies.