At launch State budget in Buea: Finance minister calls for efficient execution.

Minister, other officials during launching

The Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, has implored stakeholders nationwide to work for the efficient execution of the 2025 State budget, which stands at over 7,317 billion FCFA.

He made the call in Buea, Fako Division of the South West Region, Wednesday. This was during the ceremony to officially launch operations relating to the State budget for the current financial year.

While insisting on the need to respect laid down rules and ensure the speedy treatment of files, the finance minister insisted that government is committed to consolidating gains made in improving citizens’ living conditions.

Motaze said efforts would be doubled to achieve better living conditions, especially for citizens in the conflict-hit North West, South West and  Far North Regions. 

He also said measures would be taken to boost the security of citizens nationwide and combat other challenges such as climate change.

The 2025 State budget, he also said, is tailored to boost the import-substitution policy. He urged economic operators to double efforts to ensure development projects see the light of day.

He told the economic operators that, “you are the partners without whom budget execution will hardly be achieved. As such, you are the main contributors to the State budget and the level of tax revenue realization depends essentially on your support for the government’s tax policies and your willingness to take part in its implementation”.

 

Urges collaborators to be cautious 

The minister urged staff of devolved services to be open and raise awareness on the innovations in the 2025 Finance Law. He reminded them on the need to be advisers to taxpayers and users of public services.

“You must raise awareness, provide training and explain the new measures set out in the 2025 Finance Law so as to avoid any ambiguity that could lead to misinterpretation…,” the minister noted. 

 

Details benefits of South West Region from State

The finance minister condemned the destruction of life and properties in the English-speaking regions but saluted the resilience of the people of the South West Region.

He praised the population for working with the administration, defense and security forces to ensure serenity returns to the Region. The minister announced that money has been budgeted for rehabilitation woks on the Bekoko-Mutengene-Idenau Road this year.

Within the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions, PPRD-NW/SW, Minister Motaze said the South West Region has reaped.

He mentioned the rehabilitation of 11 centres for war victims,  organisation of 59 sociocultural events, reconstruction of 79 schools, construction of 37 health centres, four damaged bridges, the opening of farm lands to settle Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and financial support to 91 agro-pastoral groups. 

For 2025, he said 36.4 billion FCFA has been allocated for reconstruction efforts this year compared to 34 billion FCFA in 2024.

On expenditure on businesses in the South West Region, Minister Motaze disclosed that 60 billion FCFA was allocated to the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC. 

Out of this amount, he said 30 billion FCFA is to be used to clear arrears. He added that 20 billion FCFA has been paid to the corporation while the remaining 10 billion FCFA will be paid this year.

In addition, he stated that the tax burden of the CDC, Pamol Plantations Ltd and the National Oil Refining Corporation, SONARA, have been taken over by the government.

Minister Motaze said not less than 17 companies operating in the South West Region have benefited from various forms of financial relief from the State. SONARA, he said, has received 145.4 billion FCFA to pay off its creditors. 

This year, he also said government plans to make huge investments to enhance the willful surrender of young people who have taken up arms against the State. This, he said, is part of the disarmament program of the Head of State.

Cross section of stakeholders during ceremony 

 

 

59.8 billion FCFA allocated to South West

For 2025, the minister said the South West Region has been allocated 59.8 billion FCFA. Some of the projects to be realised, he said are; 10 billion FCFA for rehabilitation works on the Bekoko-Limbe-Idenau road; seven billion FCFA for tarring of the Kumba-Ekondo-Titi road; 4.5 billion FCFA for the tarring of the Kumba-Mamfe road and one billion FCFA for the tarring of the Buea Memoz-Sasse-Wotutu-Limbe Road.

Regarding energy, he cited the installation and commissioning of SONARA’s 90/30 high kilovoltage substation at the cost of one billion FCFA. He said there will also be the construction of the Limbe Gas-fired Plant and the securing of its land.

Motaze disclosed that 219 million FCFA has been allocated for the construction and equipping of the Ombe Technical High School and 600 million FCFA for extension work at the National School of Local Administration, NASLA.

He added that 60 million FCFA has been allocated for phase one of  construction of a surgical and hopsitalisation unit at the Kumba Regional Hospital Annex. 

 

Enter Buea mayor

Before now, the Mayor of Buea, Barrister David Mafani Namange, had lauded Motaze’s contribution to nation building and the development of Cameroon. He said the minister has worked to promote inclusion and harmonious living together. 

He described the launching of the State budget in Buea as an honour from the government to the people of Buea. Mafani urged the government to further enhance the decentralisation process to boost local development.

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3340 of Thursday January 16, 2025

 

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