Bamenda III Council hits all time high record investment rate

By Bakah Derick in Nkwen-Bamenda

The Bamenda III municipality in Mezam division of the North West region has presented an all-time high record investment rate despite the persisting armed conflict that has devastated political, social, economic and educational activities in the region getting to three years now.

The record breaking investment rate was presented May 17 during the administrative accounts session of the sub divisional council.

 

Bamenda III Sub Divisional Councillors in Session

  

Speaking during the session while presenting the report of the finance committee, Asobo Samuel Mbuyah Chairman of the committee said, “The recommended ratio of at least 40% for investments was respected at both the budget and the execution levels. Both rates of 64.35% and 71.65% for the Budget and the execution respectively are higher than the required 40%.” Indeed he added, “The Council’s target was more to invest for the future. This is commendable.” 

The committee justified their rates with the actual expenditure situation for 2018 explained that though slightly close to 666.5M was budgeted as investment expenditure, about 445M was realised representing 71.65% of the overall budget of slightly above 621M with 176M going for recurrent expenditure representing 28.35%. 

Corroborating the committee with a detailed monthly revenue and expenditure report, Mayor Fongu Cletus confirmed that he and his team effectively collected over 677M as revenue in 2018 and spent slight above 621M with 56.6M carried forward to 2019 as balance, 176M as recurrent expenditure and 445M used for investment. The management accounts revealed that this amount was invested in areas such as gardens, packs, office buildings, road and network construction, water and electricity service equipment, equipping of technical and services and repairs. 

Visibly satisfied with the record supported by other reports presented by other committees like strategic, works and transport, social welfare, the councillors unanimously voted in approval of the accounts encouraging their leader to proceed in the same spirit though expressing the need for attention to be paid on areas such as councillors and staff training, maintenance of roads and buildings while opening new ones. 

The administrative and management account session of the council comes at the time the Mayor has intensified local and international partnerships aimed at improving municipal development efforts. The Mayor since the last session made three different trips to the United States, Germany and China. According to Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwie, the objectives of the visits target different areas of need with the German Trier City ties known for the donation, extension and continuous improvement of the Bamenda III water scheme. 

The Bamenda III Council session is organised at the time many councils in the NW region have become non-functional as a result of the on-going armed conflict that is getting to three years now.