By Epamba Jemimah & Mariene Gifty
The Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okailia Bilai has urged Regional Councillors to use their remaining mandate and carry out meaningful development.
The Governor admonished them during the mid-term evaluation session of the Southwest Regional Assembly held in Buea recently.
Despite urging them to do more, Bernard Okalia Bilai, however, congratulated the Councillors for the work they have done so far. To him, the projects put in place should represent the aspiration of the population.
“It is up to you, the main stakeholders of this house, who have already exhausted half of your mandate, to reflect deep within your functions to determine whether your contributions as members of this deliberative organ have been up to the expectation of our population,” said the representative of the State.
“I therefor urged you all: use the remaining time of your mandate to make hay while the sun shines as it is,” he added.
He said, despite the distractions, Southwest Regional Councillors have remained committed to carry out their duties.
During the session, projects were evaluated and recommendations made on how to finalise those that haven’t been executed yet.
The President of the Southwest Regional Assembly, Zacheus Bakoma Elango, said he was impressed with the work done by the internal tender board.
“We had 57 projects. I think so far we have all awarded 54. It is only three projects remaining. This means that by 30th of November, when engagements will stop, all our projects must have been executed. I think that we are on a good footing,” said Bakoma Elango.
He said they are expanding their projects of rural electrification. At first, the Assembly concentrated in the urban areas but, now, the president said, they are going into the villages.
“I am very satisfied that the beneficiary communities were acting like protectors and defence for those projects,” he added.
To him, their mission at the Regional Assembly is to transform the lives of the people.
The Regional Assembly has equally, as part of its 2023 budget, repaired the roof of Government High School Bokwango, Buea, which was destroyed by winds, and has also assisted some Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, within the Region.
Reviewing the 2022 budget, he said FCFA 58 million was used to assist IDPs, victims of natural disasters and to prepare for the upcoming back-to-school.
To him, in just one and a half year following his election into the Regional Assembly, the balance sheet so far is positive as they have successfully transformed the lives of people by executing development projects in all six Divisions in the Region.
During the three-day-event, the Governor congratulated separatist fighters who dropped their weapons, and encouraged those still in the bushes to the same.