The Bamenda City Council in a bid to fight unemployment has recruited some 288 students. These students started their holiday’s job on July 1, around the Bamenda municipality.

Talking to The Post, the Secretary General of the Bamenda City Council Victor Fomefret said the main purpose for the holiday’s job is to prevent the students from idling around. He went further to state that it is the City Council’s way of contributing to Nation building. Concerning the criteria used in selecting students Fomefret said; “It was based on the academic performance of the students”.

Out of the 800 students that applied, the 288 that were selected are expected to clean the streets, open waterways around bridges and clean gutters. They also transfer garbage to the various collection points from 7.30 am to 2 pm, with wages of FCFA 27.500 per student. “We caution them to take care of working materials put at their disposal. If they mishandle or destroy any, we will deduct it from their wages”, Victor stated.

On whether the number recruited will increase next year, the S.G said it depends on the Government Delegate; “we started with 200 students and now it has increased to 288”.

He said the students are selected from all over Bamenda and that they are posted where they reside to defray transportation cost. In the first four days, they worked within the BCC but in the second week, they were sent to Sub-divisional councils. “If you live at Bamenda 1, we will post you at Bamenda 1 municipality”, he explained.