Mayor of Ndu Council
Mayor Abdou Kanfon, Mayor of Ndu Council, Donga Mantung Division - Northwest region, has shared his thoughts on the multiple challenges faced within Ndu municipality. Though these outnumbered the strengths of the Council, he forges ahead given the collaboration from the grassroots.
"The fact that normalcy is fast returning to Ndu, we still have some security challenges in villages of Ndu West. We have about four villages with seperatists disturbing in that area. Electricity problems has been huge; for about eight months now, Donga Mantung has been cut off from the rest of the region as far as electricity is concerned."
"Staying in the dark for eight months; people who do business with heavy machines cannot use the machines. It has slowed down the economy of the whole area. We don't have good roads in Donga Mantung, these bad roads in the municipality is also part of the ring road; linking Nkambe and Ndu. We plead and request that government should do everything possible to solve our problems because many people tend to do more buisness with Nigeria, that hinders development of our own area".
Mayor of Ndu Council recieves Award
These difficulties did not prevent the Mayor from earning an Award, as a grassroot Mayor, always on the field to yield to the demands of the people in his commumity. Being a Laureate of The Watchdog Tribune Awards in Bafoussam, the award came to him as a moral boaster given the difficult context existing in the Northwest region.
Mayor Abdou Kanfon, Ndu Council
"As a laureate, I am surprised but I know we are being monitored from whatever we may be doing on the field. I was recognized as one of the Mayors present on the field, contributing our own quota to the development of the Northwest region".
"We are grateful that this comes as an encouragement to me and to my entire team. They will be motivated and will double their efforts knowing that there are people who are watching us, do our work ".
According to the Mayor of Ndu Council, who took over office in February 2020,"Ndu council is one of the councils in the Northwest region that is experiencing some calm returning". He gives kudos to Council Staff and Management "who are able to live there and work."
"I live there with all the four dignitaries; my workers are there, as well as the Divisional Officer. Our markets are now full; we started with consultating groups and other stakeholders in the community. Discussing on the importance of peace and development, they bought our idea, that is why things are the way they are at the moment".
The awards goes to the Ndu Council as a moral boaster, blending with the mild peace returning, the Mayor says there is need for more funds in order to carry out projects and meet the aspirations of the grassroot people.
Mayor, Laureate of The Watchdog Tribune Awards
"We had just two main projects; two projects from Ndu and the package from MINDEVEL. If we had projects from all other ministeries, it would have been executed. We had about 27 million Cfa francs that was distributed to all the councils by the Ministry of Public Works. We were able to execute all these projects, including those that were not completed".
"We called back the contractors and they came and executed. This year we had very few projects, we launched them and had done more than 80%. Soon enough all projects will be received. We plead that government should give us more projects to develop our area".
The coming of the Public Independent Concilliator is recieved with delight. The Mayor of Ndu says working in synergy with Tamfu Simon will bring long lasting Peace in the Northwest region.
"We were waiting for an independent conciliator; he has been appointed and we are hoping to work together. He stands as a referee to ensure that the Regional Council respects the laws enforced. We are going to work in such a way that we collaborate with him , follow his directives and recommendations".
Accessing the roads is still a huge challenge and transport fare has always been a major concern for those plying the roads. The Mayor talks about the influx of prices on goods or even access to health care made difficult.
"The local population is suffering, if one has something to do in Bamenda, one will have to go through a particular road for safety sake, than pass through Kumbo and be killed. The government is aware and we think they will look for urgent ways to solve this problem so that we can have good roads. The Prices of goods have increased in Donga Mantung, giving way for more suffering and deaths which are recorded. To go to the hospital sometimes is not easy, especially if one has to go consult in Bamenda or Bafoussam".
"Our roads through Bui division has been cut off by the seperatists. For about three to four years now, we go through Adamawa to Bankim to Magba which is in the West region before coming to Bamenda. The distance we use to spend from Ndu to Bamenda was 4000 cfa francs but now, fare has gone up to 2000 cfa Francs. If you happen to go through the other road, you pay about 20,000 cfa francs. So to and fro is fifty thousand".
Alot of changes have been noticed given the transportation of persons from one division to another, the influx in transportation, given the nature of the roads and insecurity. Many other municipalities in the ok other divisions are faced with similar experiences.
By Ndefru Melany
678415536
civiclensweb@gmail.com