The North West Agency of the Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM has celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its creation with focus to ameliorate FEICOM services across the country.
Created by Presidential Decree number 74/23 of the 5th December 1974, its mission is to fund social development, urban development, council Solidarity projects with a perspective to alleviating poverty.
Celebrated under the theme:"FEICOM, A Tool For Building National Solidarity." The speakers emphasized the role FEICOM has done in making lives better for the people of the North West.
Denis Awoh Ndang, Mayor of Fundong and President of the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon, UCCC North West, labelled FEICOM as a lifesaver. "If not of FEICOM, I don't know how councils would have been operating." Awoh Ndang said.
Some of the projects realized by FEICOM displayed to the Public
The North West Agency Head of FEICOM, Ilome Augustine Kombe recounted their success story.
Over the last 14 years, some 462 projects amounting to 36.32 billion Francs have been effectively realized.
100.59 billion has been paid to councils over the last 14 years to ask additional council tax to councils.
FEICOM presented some projects realized across the North West Region like the construction of council buildings, bridges, low cost houses, water points to the admiration of the Mayors and guests who turned out to witness the anniversary celebration.
Mayor Denis Awoh Ndang
In a paper titled "Expectations of the Regional and Local Authority with the view to Improve FEICOM'S interventions," Awoh Ndang Denis saluted FEICOM for realising some projects which the Public Investment Budget cannot realize.
He however decried the delay in the processing of files which has caused some Mayors to even forget about using the services of FEICOM. On the issue of additional council taxes, he called for an increment while also reminding the hierarchy of FEICOM that before awarding a loan to a council, other parameters should be taken into consideration like the potentials of the council, not only the Administrative and Management Accounts that currently excludes smaller councils.
Mayor Awoh Ndang also called on FEICOM to support councils in feasibility studies and the selection of projects.
With regards to projects, the President of UCCC North West opines that the selection should be Decentralized or the follow-up because "it is very cumbersome to go to Yaounde and start chasing a file from one office to another. We should simply check at our level here and know where our file is. We are also proposing that we hold meetings to discuss on the follow-up of FEICOM financed projects in the Region like we do for the Public Investment Budget."
The Mayor of Nkor council decried the late disbursement of money for salaries of council workers. He says this aspect "needs urgent attention."
In response Ilome Augustine Kombe explained that the delay in the disbursement is at the level of the Treasury and not a fault of FEICOM. With regards to the financing of projects, it was explained that projects can only be financed when the liquidity is available.
FEICOM assists councils with loans to finance their projects. Upon paying the loans, an interest is paid on the principal. This interest FEICOM explains is the commitment of the councils. FEICOM officials also explained that on social projects, FEICOM assists the councils to about 85% of the budget interest free.
Commemorative activities in Bamenda to mark the 50th Anniversary of the council support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM, was chaired by Saidouna Ali, Secretary General at the North West Governor's office.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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