Work resumes on Yaounde-Douala highway

The Governor of the Centre region held a crisis meeting at his office to instruct constructors to resume work on the Yaoundé-Douala highway yesterday in Yaoundé.

The evicted people of Lobo in the Lékié department, especially between Pk 10 and Pk 20 had earlier halted works on the site by erecting barricades to claim compensation for their destroyed property since last week Thursday.

Their representatives, traditional leaders and local officials were invited to attend a crisis meeting on Tuesday morning in Yaoundé, around the regional governor.

Joseph Otto Wilson appeared to find a solution to the problem: "You claim the decree by the Prime Minister regarding the payment of compensation was given to 382 persons out of the 820. Okay! But this does not justify in any case for you to block the work of such an important site," insisted the governor sternly.

The head of the region said that since the beginning of property appraisal and operations to compensate people, "Lobo is the only locality to cause problems. Your slanderous denunciations increased to the point where the National Assembly was arrested, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) has stepped up field visits and technical evaluation of sub-committee had to redo its work more than once.

“The boomerang effect is that you reap what you have sown,” said the governor. Moreover, he stressed that the decree by the PM is still accurate and it sates in Article that “non-targeted victims by this decree will be compensated after claim and audit.”

Joseph Otto Wilson therefore instructed the Prefect of Lékié, traditional leaders and local elected officials to explain to the people the remedies available to them. Requests should go back to the region by Monday, July 27.
The governor nevertheless, thanked the people for allowing the project to continue before they received their compensation in accordance with standards.

"I urge you all to trust the state which cannot harm its citizens. We already have more than FCFA 300 million in store for your compensation and it is already paying people with complaints. Others should go to the prefect and file their requests. Once the checks and corrections are made, they will be paid,” reassured the governor.