DOUALA, 11 September 2024 – The mid-term workshop of the Douala 1 Municipal Council was held this Wednesday at the Littoral Regional Governor’s conference hall in Bonanjo, Douala. The meeting, chaired by Mayor Jean Jacques Lengue Malapa, took place in the presence of Senior District Officer (SDO) for Wurri Sylyiac Marie Mnogo.
Revenue Concerns Dominate Discussions
During the session, which saw the participation of nearly all the municipal councilors, several critical issues regarding the development and well-being of Douala 1’s residents were discussed. However, the main focus was the council’s low revenue. The budget projections of 4.17 billion FCFA have only seen 1.45 billion FCFA collected, representing just 34.4% of the expected revenue, a sharp decline compared to 55.4% during the same period last year.
Mayor Outlines Strategies for Improvement
Mayor Lengue Malapa expressed gratitude to President Paul Biya for extending the terms of mayors and municipal councilors, which he believes will provide an opportunity to address the revenue shortfall. He shared some of the strategies the council intends to implement to boost revenue, stating his confidence that before the end of his mandate in three months, improvements will be noticeable. “We have established a collaborative platform with municipal councilors and with the help of the population to increase our resources. We hope to achieve more than 60% revenue realization by the end of this exercise,” he stated.
SDO Calls for Continued Efforts
As the state’s representative, SDO Mvogo praised the efforts of Mayor Malapa and his team, expressing satisfaction with the council’s work thus far. “I express my sincere thanks to the Mayor of Douala 1 for inviting me to participate in this session. We have reviewed the general report, and we are satisfied with the results presented. However, there is a need to increase efforts to enhance the council’s performance,” the SDO remarked. He also pledged his support to help the council meet its objectives.
Councilor’s Perspective on the Low Revenue
In an interview, Councilor Esso Aristide attributed the low revenue to a global economic slowdown affecting businesses. He also mentioned technical issues, such as delays in electronic payments and potential lags in funds arriving from Yaoundé, as contributing factors. “Two semesters of delayed revenue is too much,” he noted, calling on the mayor to take decisive action to improve the council’s financial situation before the end of the current mandate.
By PETER TAMBE
