Most of the buildings in Cameroon have no permits - Mbwentchou

The Minister of Urban Development and Housing (Minduh) Jean-Claude Mbwentchou extensively expressed himself on urban issues Monday, April 06, during the program "le citadin" aired on the national station.

Numerous revelations were made during the show beyond the non existence of building permits for most of the buildings that proliferate in our cities.

The Cameroonian cities contribute to more than 65% to the national gross domestic product (GDP), but do not appear to reap all the benefits because they face all manner of ills on a daily basis including poverty and urban disorder. The trend can be reversed according to Minister Jean-Claude Mbwentchou, but only if everyone in the city plays his part and all scrupulously respect the laws and regulations in force in the town planning and housing.

The Minduh asked companies of the private sector, the State, local authorities and decentralized civil society and even populations to "consult with professional bodies and resort to men of art that are the developers, planners, architects, surveyors and even environmentalists, economists and lawyers" for all real estate projects. It is according to Minduh, the appropriate way to accelerate the industrialization of Cameroon.

Minduh also announced provision on housing code at the end of a consultation with all the professionals of the sector. Once available, the valuable tool, if used properly, will support harmonious growth and efficiently in Cameroonian cities. But beforehand, warns the Minister, it will take planning and housing standards to be drafted by the support structure, standards and quality Agency (Anor).

The proliferation of anarchy and urban disorder introduced by populations comes therefore due to the lack of coordination between various government structures who sometimes walk on foot.

One of the most common cases for example, for the repression of urban disorder or even the perception of taxes and charges, is the cacophony observed between urban communities created by presidential decrees and town halls, whose tenants elected by the people are often struggling to come into possession of them.