Bamenda I: Inhabitants Call On Council to Focus On Roads, Water, Electricity In 2021.

By Martial Gnoukapasir

local leaders representing community at Budgetary debate

Inhabitants of the Bamenda I municipality via their respective quarter representatives have called on the Council to focus on roads, water and electricity in their 2021 plan of action for the community.

They made the call Thursday December 24th at the council premises during a participatory development budgetary debate, organized by the council to ascertain the needs of the community as they prepare to budget for the 2021 fiscal year.

Chaired by mayor Mbigha Felix, Speakers at the need assessment-base gathering included the president of the quarter representatives Ndifor Clement,

who said there was need for the council to prioritize the grading and tarring of some existing foot paths into major access roads, to ease mobility in and out of the community.

Mayor Mbigha Felix reacting to submissions

He also stressed on the need to re-inforce the current water supply system to benefit the entire community, as people continue to fetch water from streams and other doubted sources which poses a great danger to their health.

There was also the plea for the council authorities to help boost the existing voltage of power supply and to extend electricity to areas with total blackouts within the community.

The Bamendakwe traditional Council chair Dr. Martin Ndumu speaking, called on the council to assists in rehabilitating the old structures and heritage sites of the palace.

" Our palace is a symbolic structure hosting our heritage and culture. It needs a befitting Secretariat with a curator at the museum. We also need money to purchase age-old artifacts from their custodians to be able to enrich the museum", he said.

BAMENDCA president Tantoh Emmanuel highlighting needs of community at budgetary debate.

He also called on the council to lend a hand in savaging the current situation of the Bamendakwe shrine, currently being used as a garbage dumping site.

The Bamendakwe Cultural and Development Association president Tantoh Emmanuel joined his voice to that of the T. council chairman to solicit financial support for the completion of the community multi-purpose hall and organization of annual cultural festivals.

After listening to his subjects speak, His Majesty Fon Forchesiri III saluted the council for the open debate, and advices for the council to consider all proposed projects as priority programs to be executed systematically.

He called on the elites to champion the battle for peace, as it is only in peace and serenity that the council can be able to execute all the lofty programs.

His Majesty Fon Forchesiri III Of Bamendakwe

The budgetary debate presented an opportunity for the council to educate the community on how it functions, and it’s realization for 2020.

A clean up campaign competition for the various quarters backed by a cash prize of 1 million francs was also announced.

Speaking to the press shortly after the budgetary debate the mayor said;

“I was elected by the people to run this Council for five years and I can’t satisfy them without knowing what they want. Via this debate we've come to know what their immediate problems are and the projects we need to budget for and execute in 2021. We are therefore certain that what we’ll be doing next year will be meeting the developmental needs and aspirations of the Bamendakwe population”.

He also used the budgetary debate to launch a call for the elites of the municipality in joining the council to source for funds that will permit the council meet up with the developmental needs of the community.

Usually the council with the lowest budget in Mezam division, the mayor said via lobbying, the Council succeeded in securing the highest number of BIP projects for it’s municipality.

Donations from the council to the community