At Midterm Session: Kumba City Council Board Hails City Mayor's Outstanding Vision
The Kumba City Council held its midterm session on August 1, 2025, with a focus to assess the work done by the Council since the beginning of the 2024 financial year.
During the session, which was overseen by the Meme Senior Divisional Officer Chamberlin Ntou’ou Ndong, the board members extended their commendations to President Paul Biya for his “political maradonaism,” and reiterated their call for him to be their flag bearer in the 2025 Presidential elections.
The Council’s budget, balancing at six billion five hundred million FCFA, was a highlight of the session. Board members praised Greg Mewanu for his visionary approach to commercializing and transforming Kumba into a hub of development. The City Mayor’s achievements, they listed, included the construction of an ultra-modern Council Chambers, the Mabanda motor park, a cocoa transformation mini-factory, and four synthetic mini-stadia funded by European donations worth 240,000 USD.
In his address, Greg Mewanu stressed the importance of maintaining the city’s aesthetic appeal amid rapid urban development. He said, “it is disheartening to witness the rapid proliferation of roadside shop-containers, which is having a detrimental impact on the visual appeal of our urban landscape.”
He continued, “To be sincere, the unauthorized and haphazard implantation of roadside shop-containers is threatening to erode the beauty of our city. While we understand the need for entrepreneurial opportunities, it is vital to strike a balance between economic growth and preserving the aesthetics of our city.”
The City Mayor underscored the importance of adhering to the City Master Plan, which designates specific zones for commercial activities. “In fact, within our City Master Plan, our markets are the only zones earmarked for all commercial activities and we have constructed enough stores to accommodate the entrepreneurial community,” he asserted.
Despite these measures, the mayor expressed concern over the persistence of semi-permanent structures along major streets. “It is shocking to still see semi-permanent structures (karaboot houses) along the major tarred and paved streets within our municipality,” he noted. “This aspect is overshadowing the architectural gems that define our city’s identity.”
Mayor Mewanu called for a mindful approach to development, emphasizing that “unchecked development” could have long-term consequences. “Let us be mindful of the long-term consequences of unchecked development and work towards a sustainable and visually pleasing urban environment.”
The midterm session not only celebrated the city’s achievements but also highlighted the need for a balanced approach to urban growth.
