Limbe Councils Budget FCFA 2 Billion

By Francis Tim Mbom

The three councils carved out from the former Limbe Council have adopted a total budget of FCFA 2.15 billion for the 2008 fiscal year.

The councils simultaneously adopted the budgets at their second ordinary sessions in their various council chambers at Bimbia, Down Beach and Mukundange, last December 27.

The Mukundange Council (Limbe II), which is home to Cameroon's oil refinery as well as the Limbe Shipyard, voted FCFA 1 billion. The Central Council (Limbe I), adopted FCFA 550 million, while the Bimbia Council (Limbe III), agreed on FCFA 600 million.

At Mukundange Council, some of the councillors immediately raised doubts at the feasibility of raising FCFA 1 billion when their Mayor, Andrew Motanga, presented the draft budget for scrutiny at the Limbolah Community Hall.

Motanga assured the councillors that with expected tax contributions from SONARA and the Shipyard, there was no fear. The Mayor added that the budget was put at FCFA 1 billion with the view that Limbe will soon be upgraded to a city council. This will mean that the city will be responsible for the collection of direct taxes.

Worries

Skimming through the draft, some of the Limbe II councillors were jittery at some of the amounts set aside to be consumed under certain budgetary heads."Car rental at FCFA 25 million; secretariat and entertainment at FCFA 6 million and hiring of equipment at FCFA 20 million is too high," Councillor David Mbongo complained.

But the Mayor said what he had presented was just a draft and it was the responsibility of the councillors working in committees, to further study the document and propose amendments where possible.

Projects

Mukundange Council put as priority the provision of pipe-borne water to the enclaved village of Mukunda. "It is really a nightmare that a village in Limbe should still be going for four kilometres before it can fetch water," Motanga said.

The Limbe II Council also voted for the construction of an office, the reinforcement of the Mukundange water project and the acquisition of service vehicles.Given that the council might not be able to solely finance the projects, the councilors authorised their Mayor to seek for a loan from the Council Support Fund outfit, FEICOM, and any other lending bodies.

Meanwhile, Limbe I Council put more emphasis on improving and maintaining the water supply network; acquiring office equipment, developing public squares and gardens among other things. FCFA 196 million was set asides for investment projects, while FCFA 353.4 million is for re-current consumption.

Bimbia, on its part, has targeted the acquisition of new vehicles, construction of houses for workers and office space for the council.

Comments

[stranger]

Limbe Councils Budget FCFA 2 Billion and we start reading how thy intend to put the money in use
1---acquiring office equipment
2---acquisition of new vehicles
3---construction of houses for workers and office space for the council
something to laugh at,i guess all these projects would double this council budget of 2 million taking into considerations the many corrupt self-interest hands the money would pass through and the fake figures you would see on their bills.
Limbe one of cameroons only tourist attraction which is a nightmare has raised a budget of 2 billion and nothing is being mention to improve on its touristic sector which could generate tripple that amount,but you hear them talking about buying cars,building houses for workers as if they sleep on the streets,take a look at the Limbe Down beach shore which is the first impression you capture about the city,what you find there is a smelling fish market, what impression do we give visitors when the first sight of the city sucks so much?Dirty streets full with gabbage all over newtown,half mile,churh street.A tiny group of orange dressed men and women claim to keep the city clean but they barely do nothing rather than patroling the streets(tiny paths) up and down.Visit the bars and pubs around town,all dirty and sucking epecially the rest rooms(toilets).To use them is just a nightmare cus you have to halt you breath and close your eyes to ease yourself,I just don,t want to think about what kind of dieseases you could get from there,where are the sanitory inspectors?who licence these bar owners to operate?How many more years do we need to learn to meet foriegn standards?where is the patriotism?why can they not use this budget to improve on security,sanitation,fight aids and other diseases ,create roads and to attract tourism?when i move through travel agencies in Europe,i see them advertising holidays in Gambia,Kenya,Tanzania,South africa,and so on,i look at the pictures,the seaside,the culture,the integration and i ask why can,t we not copy from them?i would be proud to see my country among the above also one day...so Limbe mayors,wake up please
stranger