Douala City Council adopts 59.5 billion FCFA for 2023.

The amount was adopted at an ordinary plenary session, which took place on December 20, 2022.  

The Douala City mayor, Dr Roger Mbassa Ndine, noted that the budget was a forecast combination of ambition and realism in terms of revenue. He added that it is in compliance with the maximum ratio provided for by law.

Thus, for the 2023 financial year revenue forecasts have been set at 59.5 billion FCFA. 57.87 billion FCFA represents the operating revenue amongst which, 51.19 billion FCFA will be generated from tax, 6.68 billion FCFA from other spheres, and 1.62 billion FCFA in investment revenue.

As for expenditure, the City Council intends to disburse 35.5 billion FCFA for its priority projects. The City Mayor made mention of a continuation of projects related to water supply in major neighbourhoods in Douala, the preservation of biodiversity, the mangroves, road construction, infrastructural development, amongst others.

“We intend to mobilise a complete team from the City Council for the proper execution of the budget. First, we will continue with our own efforts to generate revenue which are already producing tangible results. In terms of expenditure, we will ensure the good quality of services, as well as a much better fluidity of files along the financial chain,” he added.

A total of 600 projects have been earmarked to be executed alongside other priority projects this year.

They include; improving the supply of basic social services such as public lighting, potable water and access to quality healthcare at an affordable cost. To this effect, the council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Laquintinie hospital to provide emergency services to city dwellers 24/7.

Projects involving the promotion of  economic development and protecting the environment, rehabilitation and densification of urban roads, modernization of commercial public facilities, strengthening of sanitation and urban mobility actions, the promotion of civic behaviors, culture, sports, and support for youth  and consolidation of governance at local levels, were equally raised amongst the items of the Council's 2023 agenda.

The Mayor did not fail to bring up a summary of projects already executed in 2022 and promised for more work to be done in the course of the New Year.

It should be recalled that the 2022 budget had been adopted in revenue and expenditure at the sum of 58.9 billion FCFA, at the start of the financial year. It was, however, topped up to 61.9 billion FCFA thanks to the incorporation of surplus revenue over expenditure for the 2021 financial year, which stood at 3.3 billion FCFA; or 57.1 billion FCFA in operating revenue and 4.8 billion FCFA in investment revenue.