Following the at least FCFA 152 million increase from the 2011 budget, opposition councilors backed out of the session in objection of the budget inflation. Budgetary sessions in the Douala V Subdivisional Council are never without hot debates. But Mayor Françoise Foning says the debates animate any meaningful investments in the municipality, as a number of such projects have been witnessed of late.

“They have chosen to import the views of the population for which they represent. And this is important this time around as we put forth next year’s budget,” she advised. The budget in terms of revenue and expenses stands at slightly more than FCFA 2,857 billion with focus on equipment and investment, especially to meet the population’s economic, health, social, sport, and culture needs. There has been a FCFA 152,356,313 increase from 2011 council budget, attributed principally to the strict application of circular N°0002335/MINATD/MINFI of October 20, 2010 specifying the application modalities of Law N°2009/019 of December 15, 2009 relating to local taxes, translating the transfer of competences to local councils.

Although the budget was overwhelmingly voted, Abel Elimbi Lobe, SDF Vice President for Douala V electoral district, raised objections against the management of council funds, the attribution of FCFA 5 million as end-of-mandate allowance, non-respect of certain texts, the inflated budget, and non-respect of the calendar for the board meeting. “We cannot vote this budget because, in addition we did hold any session to evaluate the 2011 budget. We cannot just go into increasing the 2012 budget when we don’t even know how the council performed with the last budget. The FCFA five million end-of-mandate allowance is illegal, it is not authorized anywhere in our texts.”The Second Assistant Senior Divisional Officer of Wouri, Emmanuel Patsopi, ordered the establishment of a programme of work for the municipality latest January 15, 2012.