Tombel Council in Kupe Muanenguba Division, South West Region, has won the Clean Cities Contest of the region, organized by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, MINHDU.
The Regional competition took place in Buea, September 12, 2024.
While defending the stance of Tombel in the contest, the Divisional Delegate of Urban Development and Housing, Kupe Muanenguba, Takang Orock Ewube said Tombel Council has instituted a dumping site and a recycling center.
He stated that ahead of the competition, the Mayor of Tombel Council, Ngassa Rose, together with the Divisional Officer of Tombel Sub Division, Nyam Leonard, rallied the population in a cleanup campaign to collect plastic wastes within the municipality.
Besides, he said Mayor Ngassa organized cleanup inter-quarters competition in Tombel in a bid to keep the town clean.
“We have planted eco bins for the collection of plastics and trash cans for refuse collection all over the town. These are the strategies implemented by the council to be victorious at the regional level and national level.” Ewube stated.
Inspection Team
An inspection team from the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing headed by Sub Director Mapouna Therese, visited Tombel municipality on September 19, 2024.
The delegation also had Njodzela Mary, Regional Chief of Service at the South West Regional Delegation, MINDHU and Ngako Boli Amel from the Ministry.
Some of the sites visited by the team include; the office of the Divisional Officer of Tombel Sub Division, Tombel Main Market, Tombel District Hospital, Presbyterian Church Tombel, nursery, primary and secondary schools in Tombel, the dumping site and the recycling center.
The Mapouma led team inspected the level of cleanliness in these institutions, their various forms of waste disposal, the green spaces, the eco bins, trash cans, hygienic nature of toilets, water flow in these institutions and the entire environment in Tombel.
Speaking at the end of the visit, the DO of Tombel congratulated the population for collaborating in the Clean Cities Contest by painting their houses and cleaning their environment that has given Tombel municipality victory at the regional level.
He was optimistic that Tombel will grab the first position at the national contest.
The Deputy Mayor of Tombel Council, Enongene Bazie Boly said they are carrying out continuous sensitization to educate the population to change habits towards cleanliness.
He emphasized that by instituting eco bins, the dumping site, recycling center, the green space, amongst others, is not just to win the Clean Cities Contest. “We are adopting a new lifestyle in Tombel which is that of a clean environment. It is a continuous process and we shall recycle our waste to generate wealth.” He added.
Recycling Center
At the recycling center, Ngalle Matute Simon, CEO of Master Planners Foundation for Africa said they have signed a five year partnership with Tombel Council for recycling and waste management. He said they have introduced creative designs with the use of wastes in Tombel.
Ngalle explained that at the recycling center, they focus on degradable and non-degradable waste management.
He said for the degradable, they use it to do compose manure and the non-degradable like used plastics, beer cocks, tires, amongst others, they use it to produce creative designs like chairs, tables, flower jars amongst others.
The Divisional Delegate of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, MINEPDED Kupe Muanenguba, Epie Mary Ekane, appreciated Tombel Council for the recycling center and dumping site. She said this will eliminate environmental pollution as the population will reduce the amount of waste generated daily.
She said the green spaces and trees planted in Tombel will change the aesthetic view of the municipality and combat climate variability.
By Olive Ejang
