Against the backdrop of an ongoing socio-political crisis, the Santa Council has reported a significant increase in local revenue collection, as revealed during its 2025 mid-year budget evaluation session.
Held on Friday, July 25, at the Santa Council Town Hall, the session was chaired by His Royal Highness Samkie Elvis Gahnyam II, Mayor of Santa Council, and featured a mix of fiscal analysis, development planning, and recognition of municipal achievements.
According to the local development agent, the Council’s local revenue reached 32.3 million FCFA as of June 30, marking a noticeable improvement over the same period in 2024.
HRH Samkie Elvis Speaking During the Council Session.
Speaking during the session, Mayor Samkie Elvis Gahnyam II attributed this revenue boost to increased collections from land rents generated by newly constructed market sheds in both the Santa Main Market and the Baligham Market. He emphasized the difficulty of collecting taxes in a climate of regional instability, noting the impact of frequent “ghost towns” and widespread business closures.
“This has not been an easy period for tax collection,” the Mayor acknowledged. “But through resilience and strategic development of new infrastructure, we have managed to push local revenue forward.”
Councilors During Session.
The Mayor further explained that total revenue for the first half of 2025 stood at 149.7 million FCFA, out of a projected annual budget of 901.2 million FCFA. During this same period, the Council spent 117.2 million FCFA, largely on ongoing development and administrative functions.
While acknowledging that the overall revenue remains below target, Mayor Samkie Elvis Gahnyam II hailed the growth in local collection as a positive indicator of successful municipal strategies.
Mayor Samkie Elvis Giving Closing Remarks.
Beyond financial matters, the session also served as a moment of civic pride. Santa Council was recently awarded first prize in the Mezam Division Clean City Contest 2025, scoring 92 out of 100 points, and also received national recognition in the “My Name Campaign Challenge”, for its achievements in birth certificate issuance.
Jules Roger Nkolo Voundi, Divisional Officer of Santa.
On his part, Jules Roger Nkolo Voundi, the Divisional Officer of Santa, representing Mezam SDO extended special congratulations to the Council’s Hygiene and Sanitation Department, led by Chief of Service Gaforbe Pridy, for her consistency and hard work that contributed to these honors.
“Since last year, Santa has remained on top in matters of cleanliness,” noted the Santa Divisional Officer. “You have made our council a point of pride.”
Gaforbe Pridy, Chief of Hygiene and Sanitation.
He also praised Mayor Gahnyam’s leadership, particularly his commitment to organizing council sessions on time, which he described as “uncommon in today’s financial and political climate."
“You have placed Santa among the best-managed councils in the country,” he added, while encouraging the mayor and councillors to prepare for the upcoming elections and to maintain their spirit of dedication.
Dr. Yessi Anthony, PROLOG Regional Coordinator for North West.
Additional good news came from Dr. Yessi Anthony, North West Regional Coordinator of the PROLOG Project, who announced that the Santa Council recently signed a grant agreement under the Performance-Based Grant Scheme. This agreement secured 40% funding for a major drainage project at the Santa Market.
“Santa is also now positioned to receive further support under the Community Investment Support Grant for 2026,” Dr. Yessi revealed.
“In preparation, council staff will undergo training by early August, followed by the mobilization of village and neighborhood coordinators. These teams will lead grassroots consultations, allowing communities to identify key climate and development risks. The results will inform the priority projects submitted for PROLOG financing.”
Thamu Constance, Mezam Divisional Delegate of Decentralization and Local Development.
Speaking during the session, Thamu Constance, Divisional Delegate of Decentralization and Local Development for Mezam, congratulated Santa on its recent awards but cautioned against complacency.
“The Council should aim for national recognition in next year’s Clean City Contest,” she urged.
She also called attention to the need for reviving education, particularly at GBHS Santa, which has remained non-operational due to insecurity.
“Santa is not a place where a school like GBHS Santa should be non-operational,” she emphasized.
Throughout the session, Mayor Gahnyam continued to receive praise for his steadfast governance and commitment to service delivery, even amid the current socio-political difficulties.
“Let us continue to work harder to guarantee the growth and prosperity of our beloved municipality,” the Santa DO and the MINDEVEL Divisional Delegate concluded, striking a tone of cautious optimism and renewed civic resolve.
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