213 Million Allegedly Embezzled at B’da City Council

 

The Bamenda City Council where Vincent Ndumu Nji is Government Delegate is stinking corruption. Yesterday May 16, 2012, the administrative account of the Bamenda City Council also revealed another obnoxious practice. The alleged embezzlement is a carried forward from 2010 account. Even though the Government Delegate claims that the money was poorly managed by the former treasurer. With a surplus of over 400 million FCFA carried forward to this year, observers are of the opinion that the Bamenda City Council could be entirely transformed into a prison yard. It should be noted that even the council police recruited under the present management are also too corrupt. Besides, it is even alleged that some council staff also went as far as printing market tolls. During the session, grand councilors and mayors of Bamenda I, II and III were seen with gloomy faces yet they could not express their anger. The untold that is tearing the city council apart is that recently, the government delegate and the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam traveled to Germany accompanied their wives. Councilors have been questioning why none of the mayors was part of the trip and whether the SDO could represent the people of Bamenda abroad and not the state as it is supposed to be.

 The City Council of Bamenda haven suffered many attacked from the public on the state of worsen roads and streets have procured new heavy roads equipments. Roads in the city and local councils’ municipality shall be prioritized. The revelation of the acquired equipments was made public during the 2011 management and administrative account session that held on Wednesday May 16 2012 by the Government Delegate Ndumu Vincent Nji in the presence of SDO for Mezam Mashe Njonwet Joseph Bertrand.

These equipments which according to the government Delegate would be jointly managed by both the City and the local councils to improve on the state of roads and streets in the city and environs. Roads to the Fons’ palaces haven been neglected for too long shall have a face lift. Mr. Ndumu Nji thinks that is it cheaper haven acquired new equipment that can guarantee about three years daily twelve hours work. Revenue shall be generated by letting the machines out to other users.

Mr. Ndumu Nji told senior councilors that the courts have pass a ruling in favour of the City Council on the case with Puwo Distribution Company of Guinness products. The City Council solicitor is waiting to procure a copy of that ruling to affect an auction sale on the impounded Guinness product. The councilors were wondering whether the drinks are still consumable. The Government Delegate remarked that only the bottles and crates would be sold out. As for City Council shares at Ayaba Hotel given that privatization is looming large on that parastatal, Councilors were told that it is at the level of the ministry of tourism. The minister of territorial administration had written to the minister of tourism for appropriate measures to be taken to enable Bamenda City Council recover her own shares of the hotel. The Government Delegate was authorized to acquire land for a new dump site and Ndzah village was earmarked to provide the land. Mayor Balick Awa raised a worry that most landed property owned by the city council is being encroached and some people even brandish land titles. The government Delegate was urged to use appropriate measures to secure these lands. On the whole audit report shows that some 213 million is found wanting from the coffers of the city council. This vacuum was created in the reign of the former exchequer and how to redistribute the deficit in the present budgetary head was very difficult. The SDO remarked that this type of lapses in the accounting nomenclature is a sure entry to prison if not clarified and regularized.

The SDO for Mezam did observe a serene session where the deliberation went on so maturely and smooth with many issue handled. He urged Councilors to keep up that spirit and improve on the deliberation next year if and only if they are returned as councilors. The government Delegate remarked that he shall very much make use of department of urban affairs so much so in five years Bamenda City would be very green. He further warned those claiming land that is not theirs to desist and that it is unacceptable for people to build on swampy areas. Mr. Ndumu Nji wonders aloud how come some people are depriving others from using water which is God’s free gift to mankind. Calling on the spirit of oneness the government delegate said all water catchment or sources should be protected.

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