TIKO MUNICIPALITY PRIORITISES CLEANLINESS AHEAD OF 2026 NATIONAL CONTEST

By Clarisse Ekowe

 

Tiko Council in the South West Region has stepped up efforts to improve sanitation and urban aesthetics as it prepares for the 2026 National Clean City Contest organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, an inspection team from the Fako Divisional Delegation, led by the Divisional Delegates for Housing and Urban Development, and Environment and Nature Protection, carried out an evaluation visit to the municipality.

The delegation was received by the Mayor of Tiko, HRM Dr Ikome Peter Mesoso III, before proceeding to the office of the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Tiko, Nokouri Samuel Nokpa. The visit formed part of preliminary assessments expected to determine Tiko’s qualification for the regional phase of the competition, ahead of the national finals slated for Bamenda later this year.

During the tour, the team inspected several strategic locations including administrative institutions such as the taxation office, the court, and the gendarmerie brigade. Other sites visited included Tiko Market, the motor park, bridges in Likomba, the Tiko Roundabout — noted for its spring water statue — as well as green spaces at CDC Camp.

The delegation also assessed sanitation conditions at the Muyenge Sub-Divisional Hospital, Government Bilingual Primary School Mutengene, and public toilet facilities at the Mutengene Roundabout.

Authorities say the exercise was aimed at evaluating hygiene standards, waste management systems, and ongoing efforts by the council to maintain public cleanliness.

Tiko, which ranked fourth nationally in the 2023 Clean City Contest after emerging first in the South West Region, is seeking to improve its standing. Municipal authorities have launched a series of initiatives to mobilise residents and sustain cleanliness across the town.

Mayor Ikome Mesoso III said the council has introduced inter-zonal and inter-quarter sanitation competitions involving Mutengene, Likomba, Tiko, and Mungo, as a way of encouraging community participation.

“The gutters are not for the council alone; they belong to the population as well, and I am encouraged by their cooperation,” he said.

According to the mayor, the municipality has recorded improvements in hygiene, sanitation, and infrastructure since its last national outing. He cited support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, including the provision of brick-paving equipment and a CFA75 million contract for road works linking Bocom, the Tiko District Hospital, and the Hospital Layout Bridge — a project he confirmed has been completed.

With preparations intensifying, local authorities say Tiko is determined to position itself as a model of urban cleanliness and reclaim a top spot in the upcoming national contest.