Nkum councillors prioritize water supply

Councillors of the Nkum Council in Bui Division of the Northwest Region have voted to have the controversial Tatum Water Supply project completed as their priority project for the 2015 fiscal year.

The Councillors took the decision, Wednesday, December 17 at the Council Chambers during a budgetary session. The budget stands at FCFA 503,035,522, of which FCFA 268,240,000 will go for investment projects representing 53.3percent.

According to Nkum Council Mayor, Suila Aruna Kidze, the completion of the Tatum Water Supply project is the topmost priority. The Water Project, it was made clear, was initially sponsored by the Local Council Support Fund (FEICOM). Unfortunately, the contractor who won the contract later abandoned the project after havinga huge chunk of his bill paid.

“The completion of the Tatum Water Supply project, wherein I am making a special appeal to you to vote for additional money in the hope that this all-time important project will be cleared once and for all,” Suila Aruna pleaded with Councillors. The Councillors, in one of their deliberations, authorised the Mayor to raise FCFA 21 million to complete the project.

The Councillors also endorsed the project to revamp, create and train Water Management Committees in all villages in the municipality in a bid to ensure sustainable management of water.

Other projects to be executed in 2015 include: the construction of a Communication Centre, the construction of a Tatum Food Market and Motor Park, the demarcation of Council land and the lighting of Tatum Market Square by solar energy to fight growing insecurity.

Describing road rehabilitation as a traditional project, Mayor Suila Aruna said it will, inevitably, come up in the course of the year as the means may permit.

The Mayor used the budgetary session to welcome the new Gendarmerie Brigade Commander for Nkum, Issa Azibe, and lauded the Government for the peace and security that had improved in the municipality.

The Councillors, who were later drilled on their roles through a capacity-building seminar, were urged to avail themselves of the opportunity and become more productive.

Bui First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer, Dr Mohammadou, who supervised the deliberations, said a good guide to any budget is the actual collection and expenditure realised during the previous year.

He urged the Councillors to be innovative so as to generate more income for the Council which will, in turn, enable them improve on the well being of the population within the Council area.