This involves over 5 billion FCFA budgeted for various projects in Bui Division.
The Bui Divisional Participatory Follow-up Committee for Public Investments Projects met on July 13, 2016 in Kumbo. The meeting resolved, inter alia, to form a committee to follow-up projects that were earmarked for the division, but due to unexplained reasons, disappeared into thin air. These include the over 2 billion FCFA allocated for the tarring of the Kumbo-Elak Oku Road, several millions meant for irrigation in Mii plains in Noni Sub-division and the abandoned portions of the Bamenda Ring Road project where 3 billion FCFA was allocated in 2015.
Headed by Hon. Dr Joseph Banadzem, Member of Parliament for Kumbo Central, the committee comprises all parliamentarians from Bui Division. Members are to meet the Prime Minister, Head of Government and raise these concerns in a bid to trace what happened with the said projects that were duly budgeted for and appeared in the project logbook. Participants at the meeting, who included Theophile Nzeki, the Senior Divisional Officer for Bui, Mayors, Technical Service Heads, civil society organizations, traditional authorities and some business persons, all resolved that political interest should not take precedence over the overall development of the division.
“Politics should be kept out of this committee so that together we can forge ahead with our development initiatives,” Hon. Banadzem appealed. According to the Chairman of the Bui Divisional Follow-up Committee, Hon. Kwei Andrew Mngo, MP for the Oku/Noni Constituency, he had on several occasions taken to the rostrum in the National Assembly to address the issue of development in Bui Division with particular attention on roads. According to Theophile Nzeki, all stakeholders should be given all that it takes to ensure the proper follow up of projects in their respective areas.
The Divisional Delegate of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Chief Fotsop Dominic Yenai Asaah, Bui Division has 49 per cent in the physical execution of projects during the second quarter of 2016, up by 2.2 per cent in the first quarter. He was optimistic that the situation would improve in the days ahead, given that most projects were almost complete and ready for provisional reception. Some 79 projects were allocated for Bui in the current financial year, with two awarded at the level of the region. A total of 33 projects have been executed completely and received, 26 on-going, with 20 yet to get off ground. The Delegate explained that the 20 others were no cause for any alarm as they involve projects of about 250,000 FCFA.
