Roads Shifting into high gear

In January 2012 President Paul Biya released 100 billion FCFA (€152 million) for a special emergency fund to build and repair Cameroon’s busiest major roads and engineering works, which had become rundown, if not downright dangerous.

Some companies failed to make the grade during the emergency programme’s bidding process: their services failed to comply with every point in the government’s specifications, whose key word is efficiency. They only account for 14% of the earmarked budget, but that does not cast doubt on local knowhow. “The expertise is there and Cameroonian companies and engineering firms are becoming better organised,” the Public Works Ministry says. “Unfortunately, they cannot always keep up and their services are substandard, especially in extremely urgent situations requiring companies to have not only a lot of equipment on hand but also and above all the human and financial resources allowing them to start the work with their own funds.” Cameroonian companies are closely involved in road building or maintenance projects underway thanks to a 10-year-old policy meant to foster the emergence of local smalland medium-sized businesses in this area, particularly since the abolition of State-owned maintenance companies. In 2011 alone the Road Fund financed work on 11,535 kilometres of dirt roads, 3,315 kilometres of paved roads and 6,072 kilometres of rural roads high volumes for Cameroonian companies specialising in construction, maintenance or inspection activities. In November the prime minister said the volume would probably be the same this year. Intensification of roadwork in big cities will undoubtedly add to the activity. In Douala, for example, investments will be made to build a second bridge over the Wouri as well as east and west entrances adapted to a six-lane motorway.

In the far north, debt relief reinvestment mechanisms in synergy with French cooperation have led to a programme to build and upgrade 35 bridges in remote and border areas. Funding has also been released to rehabilitate the Maroua Kousseri stretch. “Building and repairing bridges will greatly improve traffic between the North and Far North regions and between Cameroon and Nigeria,” a Public Works Ministry official says.

The public’s highest expectations involve the planned Yaoundé Douala Bafoussam Yaoundé loop motorway announced two years ago. On 8 March Chinese officials approved the first tranche, $482.8 million, or 241.4 billion FCFA, of a 20-year loan at 2% interest with repayment deferred for seven years. Now all Cameroon’s government has to do is decide on the final route so that the China First Highway Engineering Company, which won the contract to build the 215km road, can start work.

By François BAMBOU