SANTA COUNCIL: OVER FCFA 600 MILLION IN PROLOG FUNDING REWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE

SANTA COUNCIL: OVER FCFA 600 MILLION IN PROLOG FUNDING REWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE

By The lion's FACE MEDIA 

Santa Council in Cameroon’s North West Region is expected to benefit from more than FCFA 600 million in cumulative allocations from the PROLOG programme, in what has been presented as recognition of its performance in governance and municipal management. The announcement was made on Friday, October 9, 2026, during the council’s budget orientation and debate session, which brought together councillors, administrative authorities, service heads and other development stakeholders to discuss priorities for the 2027 financial year.

Speaking at the session, the North West Regional Coordinator of PROLOG, Dr Yessi Anthony, said Santa Council was selected on the basis of good governance and probity in the management of municipal resources. He explained that, in addition to recent allocations exceeding FCFA 240 million for development projects, further funding had been earmarked for the council following technical adjustments linked to the suspension of funding to some councils that failed to meet the programme’s required standards. The previous, current and pending allocations are expected to bring Santa Council’s total PROLOG funding to over FCFA 600 million.

Presiding over the session, the Mayor of Santa Council, HRM Fon Samkie Elvis Gahnyam II, who also serves as Fon of Baligham, described the budget debate as both a statutory obligation and an opportunity to strengthen participatory governance. He said the exercise allows stakeholders, including village and neighbourhood committees, to contribute to identifying development priorities that reflect the aspirations of the population. Reflecting on the challenges encountered in 2026, the mayor expressed confidence that the experience gained would help the council improve its performance in the coming financial year, insisting on the need to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

Among the major priorities identified for the 2027 budget are potable water, education, electricity, road infrastructure, hygiene and sanitation, economic empowerment and improved revenue collection. The mayor also underscored the importance of accountability and transparency in the management of council resources, reaffirming his commitment to an open administrative system and closer collaboration with development stakeholders to accelerate the municipality’s transformation.

While the expected PROLOG funding offers Santa Council an opportunity to strengthen local development, the ultimate test will be how effectively the resources are translated into tangible benefits for residents. Improved roads, better access to water and electricity, stronger educational infrastructure and expanded economic opportunities will remain key indicators of progress. As the council prepares its 2027 budget, Fon Samkie Elvis Gahnyam II stressed the importance of looking beyond financial figures to the future the municipality hopes to build, saying the debate provides an opportunity to consider the kind of Santa its people want to become.