Illegal construction: Minhdu sounds alarm

Presiding over the ceremony celebration global urbanisation day yesterday in Yaounde, Jean Claude Mbwentchou, Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Minhdu) sounded an alarm. The minister told city managers that "it is not time for festivities but time to implement effective strategies for the harmonious development of cities in Cameroon."

The problem here is that, like Douala and Yaoundé, there were areas where planning had been made before the arrival of other populations and then everything developed into an anarchy. The result of this was that some communities developed in marshes and at the slightest downpour, houses were flooded.

According to Sipliant Takougang, national coordinator of the Urban Governance Program of Minhdu, we arrived at this point because the last urban planning documents were developed in the 80s. It lacked a legal framework for the mayors to control how people settle. The law governing town planning was enacted in 2004. "Since 2004, the towns had the role of developing the urban plans. But there are very few initiatives in this direction," notes our source.

While anarchy has made its nest in places, all is not lost, according Sipliant Takougang. It thus indicates that there is restructuring for affected neighborhoods that do not have schools, health centers, markets ... Secondly, there is renovation. This is necessary in the slums where it is sometimes necessary to demolition for rebuilding.

And on the ground, the Minhdu is at work through participatory slum upgrading programmes conducted in collaboration with UN-Habitat. It was initiated in Yaoundé (Nkolbikok), Kribi and Bamenda.

In addition, the department is working to open up neighborhoods through the development project of urban areas and water supply (PDUE), whose works are numerous in Yaounde.

For Augustine Tamba, Mayor of Yaoundé VII, urban disorder has set in and there is the need to solve it now. The county boroughs, delegates from the government and the Ministry of Housing, which is responsible for guidance are put to the task. "We are there for the implementation of decisions", he concluded.

According to Hippolyte Etende Nkodo, engineer and planner, it is not a matter of the managers of cities to develop Bastos, Denver, but to ensure that those living in slums feel part of a city. Hence the theme "Cities designed to live in togetherness", chosen for this double celebration in Cameroon.