ADDRESS PRESENTED BY COUNCILLOR DIGHAMBONG ANTHONY MVO AT THE 2020 DRAFT BUDGET

Mayor Dighambong Welcoming Councillors

AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY COUNCILLOR DIGHAMBONG ANTHONY MVO, LORD MAYOR OF THE WUM COUNCIL, ON THE OCCASION OF THE EXAMINATION AND ADOPTION OF THE 2020 DRAFT BUDGET, TODAY 14^TH OF NOVEMBER 2019 AT THE WUM TOWN HALL.

Ø THE SENIOR DIVISIONAL OFFICER FOR MENCHUM,

Ø THE DIVISIONAL OFFICER WUM SUB DIVISION,

Ø MEMBERS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER HOUSES OF ASSEMBLY

Ø HONOURABLE COUNCILLORS,

Ø DIVISIONAL DELEGATES AND SERVICE HEADS,

Ø POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES,

Ø FONS AND ARDOS,

Ø PERSIDENTS OF DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS,

Ø ECONOMIC OPERATORS ,

Ø PRESIDENTS OF SOCIO PROFESSSIONAL GROUPS,

Ø EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ELITE,

Ø DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMENT;

It is with great joy that I am standing on behalf of  the Councillor and staff of Wum council for the sixth consecutive time to welcome you all to this annual rendez-vous of budget session. We want to welcome in a special way the Senior Divisional Officer for Menchum Division Mr. ABDOULAHI ALIOU, in abstention due to some unforeseen circumstances and  who was supposed  to attend for the first time.

I would like to thank all and sundry for the wonderful collaboration, support and sacrifices each and every one of you gave us to be able to record the wonderful successes that we have together achieved. I really lack words to appreciate your unlimited prayers to us. I preserve you all in the innermost of my heart. Thank you so much and my wish is for God to hear my prayers to you all as we continue to pray for you each other.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

          We have scored the goals for our mandate, our promises realized, our achievements are visible that even the blind and the dumb who cannot see nor hear would touch or feel. We have been able to open the roads to make it practicable for us all. This would not have ever been possible without your inspiration. I am today and would forever remain indebted to these prayers. All I can say is “Happiness keeps you sweet! trials keep you strong! sorrows keep you human! Failures keep you Humble! And Gog Keeps you going!”.

Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen,

          We are all witnesses of the difficulties and challenges we are facing today due to the socio-political situation in our two English speaking regions. As we all can testify, it has resulted to a decadence of our economic activities. It is in this light therefore, that the 2020 budget for Wum Council Christened “the budget of Reconciliation and Reconstruction” has witnessed an increase to make up with what we have not been able to accomplish and for us to have a very realistic and feasible budget that would serve and meet the aspirations and needs of the population. The budget we are about to examine balances in revenue and Expenditure at the sum of Nine hundred and thirty five million, three hundred and thirty thousand (935,330.000) Francs CFA, this represents an increase of 16.2% of the Budget for 2019. The Investment Budget is Five hundred and seventy four million, One hundred  and Ninety two thousand, seven hundred and sixty seven  (574,192,767) francs CFA, giving a percentage of 61.4% which is more than the stipulated minimum amount of at least 40% of the total Budget.

The operating or functional expenses stand at Three hundred and sixty one million, one hundred and thirty seven thousand two hundred and thirty three (361.137.233) Francs that is 38.6% which is less than the prescribed maximum of 60% of the total Budget. The personnel expenses is Ninety eight million two hundred and twenty seven thousand, two hundred and thirty three (98.227.233) Francs, that gives a percentage of 27.2% of the functional budget, which is again is less than the required maximum of 35% of the functional Budget.

          Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

          The above statistics have been streamlined to realize the projects below, whose details can be gotten from the annual Investment  Plan drawn out village by village and as per their different Ministries  and of course the cost attached. The projects are:

-         Supply of 2 tables and 2 chairs to GS Zatesang,

-         Construction of a blokc of 2 classrooms and a regular Office in GS Zatesang;

-         Supply of Benches to GS Zatesang;

-         Supply of materials for inclusive education

-         Supply of teaching Aids for Inclusive education;

-         Support to BIHNDUMLEM for the Empowering of rural woen in Economic and social Life;

-         Rehabitation of GPS Group I;

-         Rehabilitation of GPS groups II;

-         Supply of Benches to some Primary Schools;

-         Construction of 34 Market Sheds in the wum main market;

-         Support in the LRAS in the fight against Plastic materials;

-         Construction of an Agric Post in the Wum council;

-         Rehabilitation of the Naikom - Ketcha – Naikom Road (11Km)

-         Grading of (9KM) of some streets in Wum Town;

-         Equipment of Ukpwa Health Centre

-         Equipment of Wum District Hospital;

-         Equipment of Bu Health Centre;

-         Support to Vulnerable population in Wum Council;

-         Equipment of Women Empowerment Centre Wum;

-         Rehabilitation of the Women Empowerment Centre in Wum Council;

-         Construction of a mini  fence round the Women Empowerment Centre in Wum;

-         Construction of Wum main roundabout;

-         Purchase of second handed Front head loader;

-         Opening of gutters from TRADEX Petrol station to Lake Nyos Hotel;

-         Construction of a metallic culvert (D.1.000) between Sir Wallang’s building and the main market

-         Construction of an Embarkment behind the  Wum main market

-         Construction of a vip toilet at the wum council office

-         Rehabilitation of water source at waindo

-         Rehabilitation of two classroom at GS Aguli

-         Organization of Wum council Tournament;

-         Construction of a Box culvert on JOPACC road;

-         Rehabilitation of Catchment and Extension of water in Cheregha village;

-         Construction of a Monument at Post Office roundabout.

           Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

          I know the challenges we all go through on daily basis are quite enormous, but all I continue to reiterate is that, we should practice the spirit of forgiveness and togetherness. We know that even though the eyes don’t see each other, they see things together, blink simultaneously and cry together. The teeth bites the tongue every moment, but they are condemned to stay together. Let us learn from Mahatma Ghandi who says “truth alone will endure: all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time”. Also Edgar Mohn quips “A lie has speed, but truth has endurance”.

          Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

 Our right and wrong circumstances should always be our real moments of looking up to God for his ever great intervention, for when you are winning a battle the devil becomes very fierce. May we continue to work together and to share together all for the glory of God and for the good of mankind. We must continue to do something as individuals or families, in thanks giving for our being and for our dear Municipality.

          Long live the Wum Municipality

            Long live the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development

             Long live the Republic of Cameroon.