BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM
Within a social climate of tough security challenges, stakeholders of the Benakuma Municipality have agreed to be peace crusaders in the struggle to achieve development projects. This commitment was taken during an extraordinary Benakuma council session under the leadership of Ihimbru Solomon Kudi, Mayor of Benakuma Council.
Also present at the event were the First Deputy Mayor for Benakuma- Ayissi Ewah Stella, the Second Deputy Mayor- Ofeh David Kudi, the Council Secretary General – Mbuwe Ignatius the Senior Divisionsl Officer for Menchum Abdoullahi Aliou and other dignitaries.
The extraordinary council session that held June 25, 2020 was anchored mainly on a two point agenda: to update the Annual Investment plan AIP and the
Council Development Plan CDP.
Based on this, councillors brainstormed and deliberated on projects considered useful and achievable. They resolved among other things; provision of an oil palm mill at Befang, supply of benches to G.S Benakuma Group 1, training of village leaders, stepping down and supply of electricity at Ebiatie, rehabilitation of Benakuma giant water project, construction of a culvert to link Beba, Batomo and Okomanjang, opening of farm to market roads in the areas of Bokunu, Otengue Benabinge, Ezeme -Benagudi and rehabilitation of roads in Befang among others. The funds for these are provided by home and local donors.
Besides the listed developmental activities that would be focused on, the Benakuma council also cited other resources viable to expand its potentials. These include a game reserve site and a lake of touristic attraction all possessed by the municipality.
Noting that people in some areas in the municipality are resistant to social and economic construction proposed by the council and the government, the councilors said they are going back to talk peace and reconciliation to “brothers and sisters” still not convinced.
While addressing councillors on the subject of peace, Mayor Ihimbru Solomon said “we should be peace crusaders to our various council areas, municipality, division and at the level of the region. We cannot remain perpetually in violence. We are clamouring for benefits and we must give peace a chance. We should rethink strategies of communicating with our brothers and sisters in the bushes” he beckoned
The SDO for Menchum made a similar appeal “All the projects we have discussed would not
take place without peace. As councillors, you are key actors of peace in your various
Speaking to Info Trends after the session, Councillor Ongum Rudolf Bache pledged his readiness to work “we just need to have a cooperate spirit and we are going to succeed by God’s grace. I’m going to see that I firmly implement what we have agreed together with my collaborators”
Benakuma Municipality is one of the four municipal councils in Menchum Division, Northwest Region Cameroon. The council is conterminous with Menchum Valley Sub Division of the region.
The council has borders to the north with Wum Central Subdivision, to the east with Bafut Subdivision, to the south-west with Akwaya Subdivision in the South West region of Cameroon, to the south with Njikwa Council (Momo Division Northwest region Cameroon) and to the west with the Republic of Nigeria.