Elvis Tah
22 December 2008
The Buea streetlights that have suffered successive destruction from rioting students and reckless drivers have finally began to glow.The lamps, most of them replaced at least twice, came alive in Molyko on Friday, December 12, thanks to efforts of the Buea Rural Council.
Buea Mayor, Charles Mbella Moki, told The Post that the streetlight project was part of the Buea road construction project, adding that the funds for the project were not exhausted.
"We were reliably informed by Razel and the project supervisory agency that part of the funds were siphoned, reasons why the gutters have not been covered, and the job is yet to be officially handed over," said Mbella Moki.
The Mayor said the FCFA 90 million that was meant to link the lamp posts to AES SONEL Network was diverted. He said since the council's plan is to provide basic services to the population, they decided to shoulder the streetlight project in a bid to give the municipality a facelift.
Quizzed on whether the lights have come to stay or they were meant to save the face of Molyko during the University of Buea graduation day, Mbella Moki said, "the streetlights have come to stay. It is a Christmas gift by the council to the people of Buea. The lamp posts are wired in various phases and the work is on going. We want to extend the streetlights into the villages so that maybe by January, the whole of Buea will have streetlights."
The Mayor, however, regretted the fact that some reckless drivers are already destroying the lamp posts.On what it cost the council to carry out the project, he said he could not readily give the amount because the council did not raise the funds at once.
"It was a progressive expenditure, but the estimated cost of the project is FCFA 90 million. Suffice to note that the council has put in so much that the total expenditure might not necessarily be the FCFA 90 million," Mbella Moki explained.He announced that the council has also embarked on beautifying the municipality.
"We have created public toilets in some strategic areas in town and we are currently putting together resources to extend the water system in Buea. FCFA 170 million has also been set aside for the creation of a modern market," said the Mayor.
As President of Southwest Mayors Association, Mbella Moki denounced government's manner in controlling council funding. "The worsening economic situation of our country is taking a toll on our council's staffing and finances. The National Council Support Fund, FEICOM, is not helping matters because its contribution has dwindled," he said.
He said the current tax policies are not beneficial to all the councils; "Some of the councils in some cities are swimming in affluence while others are in a stranglehold by the current tax policy."
He said in order to forge ahead, local councils have resorted to looking for new avenues and approaches to survive. Going by him, effective decentralisation should be the answer to the plight of local councils.
Monday, 22 December 2008 at 11:50 AM in News | Permalink
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MBELLA MOKI, AND ALL SOUTHERN CAMEROONS MAYORS, MUST HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR THEIR TOWNS AND CITIES. ALSO, THEY MUST ENACT A LAW BANNING, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES FROM CREATING ENVARONMENTAL DISASTERS LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE IN BUEA, WHEREBY THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES FROM FRECN CAMEROUN DELIBERATELY CREAT GUTTERS BY THE ROADS SIDES, FOR WHICH WILL DUMP, GARBAGE, HUMAN INJURY, BLOCK DRAINING AND BRING FILTH TO THE TOWNS ASWELL AS MOSQUITOES. THESE GUTTERTS ARE VERY USELESS AND THEIR EPITOMIZED POOR DEVWELOPMENT IN AFRICA, FOR THIS KING OF ROAD CPNSTRUCTIONS IS ONLY FOUND IN PLANES WERE FRANCE IS CONTROLLING LIKE FRENCH CAMEROUN. WHY NOT CANNALIZE WATER DRAINAGE THROUGH BURIED CONCRETE PIPES? RATHER THAN OPEN GUTTERS BY THE ROAD SIDE, , IN MANY PARTS OF FRENCH AFRICA. YOU CAN FING RAW SEWER FLOWING IN THESE GUTTERS AS WOMEN SELL FRIED CHICKEN BESIDE THEM. WHAT A SHAM? MEAN WHILE FRANCE IS PAID A HEFTY SUM TO BUILD THESE ROADS.
we need more solar, and we need more construction staffing