The government of Cameroon has announced that construction works on the Bamenda ring road in the country’s restive North West Region will resume.
The Minister of Public Works, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, made the announcement in an exclusive interview over the state broadcaster television (CRTV).
“We have finished with the programming of this road and the financing is available. The process of selecting a contractor is also on the way,” Minister Nganou said, while assuring the annoyed population that the works will soon begin.
After the government of Cameroon signed a loan deal of FCFA 12 billion with the African Development Bank (AfDB) for technical studies within the framework of the said project, On June 22, 2020, president Paul Biya authorized the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) to sign another loan agreement worth FCFA 106 billion still with the African Development Bank (AFDB) for the construction phase which will cover some 365 km roads.
The project which has dragged on for 30 years will cover five out of the seven Divisions that make up the North West region (Mezam, Ngoketundjia, Bui, Donga Mantung and Menchum Divisions).
The minister of public works challenged the elites of the crisis-hit region to dialogue, soft talk and appease separatist fighters along the said road in order to ensure return to calm that will permit the hitch free commencement of the works.
Entrepreneur Newshouse can recall that major construction works in the two English speaking regions notably; the Kumba-Mundemba road project, the Babadjou-Bamenda road, the Loum-Kumba road and many others have been stalled as a result of the ongoing war. Construction firms and their collaborators have faced series of difficulties during work.“What I will like to appeal for is that everybody, those who can do something should really do something so that the situation should be appeased for us to commence the construction of this important infrastructure,” Nganou Djoumessi said.
He revealed that the said project will not only involve tarring of the road works but provision of many social amenities that would improve the living conditions of locals.
“We are not only doing the road, we are also bringing social amenities to ameliorate living conditions of the people and alleviate poverty. We will be building classrooms, markets, water supply projects and so on. The government is bringing the development by constructing the ring road,” Minister Nganou said.
This road runs from Bamenda-Bambui-Ndop-Baba 1-Babessi-Kumbo-Nkambe-Misaje- Nyos-Wum-Bafut then back to Bameda. The road project shares borders with Nigeria and is said to be an essential link to boost, development, trade integration between Cameroon and Nigeria
