Corrupt Council revenue collectors to be sacked

With corruption in Cameroon, short of almost running riot, especially in the public sector, the Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Koulbout Aman David has appealed to the Mayor of Kumba II Council, Forcha Ndobegang Martin to ensure that revenue collectors are identified by wearing that councils badge.

The SDO who also threatened to sack corrupt council workers, made this declaration on the occasion of the examination and adoption of the Management account of the Kumba II Council for the year 2013 that took place at that Council Chambers on Tuesday April 8, 2014.

The SDO’s bloated entourage included among others, the First and Second Assistant SDOs for Meme, the Commissioners of police for Kumba central and the special Branch, the delegates for Labour and Social Security, Social Affairs.

In his address, the SDO lauded the initiative of the Mayor for being the first among the councils in Kumba to convene the examination and adoption of the 2013 management account budget, adding that good governance calls for work first and financial issues later.

He further observed that though the accounting process was a difficult process, given that the accounts, the councilors were examining, was prepared by the former Mayor Asapngu Ferdinand regime but added that the new councilors would benefit from the experience of their peers, who were part of the Asapngu’s council.

Probably reacting to the mayors speech, in which in part, he chronicled some difficulties in generating enough revenue for the council, the SDO appealed to same to ensure that revenue collectors be henceforth be identified by badges and that any revenue collector who pockets money meant for the workers salaries and for the development of that municipality would be sacked.

In his terse welcome speech, the mayor Forcha Ndobegang Martin, observed that the management account, the councilors were examining to later adopt was prepared by his predecessor and that he and his councilors were carrying this duty because administration is fluid and continuous. He further emphasized that for the Kumba II Council to execute meaningful and durable development, especially to fulfill its electoral promises, the council must be capable of generating enough income.

He further posited that due to the council, inability to generate enough funds, the councils staff have been without pay for the past four months, but went on to promise that the workers pay and other dues would be promptly paid immediately the funds are made available. Before the session rose, the Kumba II Council management account budget for 2013, was drawn to balance in revenue and expenditure at the sum of 566m.

Also in attendance were the Divisional Officer for Kumba II, the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, respectively Tsezode Pierre, Victor Ngoh Nkele and a cross section of the Kumba II population, especially militants and sympathizers of the SDF, who recaptured that council in the twin elections of September 30, 2013.