Yaoundé-Nsimalen highway to be completed in 2019

The third session of the Interdepartmental Steering Committee which took place on Thursday found the lack of detailed studies for the Yaoundé-Nsimalen highway construction.

According to the Committee, the work will be completed in 2019.

"Were swamps not been identified in the studies?" asked for the umpteenth time by the Minister of Public Works (Mintp).

"No!" reiterated the Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Minhdu), acting as witness of the Director of Labogénie and even the head of the monitoring mission. He however reassured that: "solutions have been proposed to ensure that no time is lost. The work will be completed in 2019.”

The construction work of the Yaoundé-Nsimalen Highway began in July 2014. More than a year later, the state of progress of the work stands at 20%, for a consumption delay rate of 40%. It was therefore said that the work should have been carried out double as compared to what has been done so far.

Nevertheless, the two above-mentioned members of government were on the construction site on Thursday, as part of the 3rd session of the Steering Committee of the project for the construction of the Yaoundé-Nsimalen motorway, presided over by Minhdu, Jean Claude Mbwentchou. It was held in the presence of Patrice Amba Salla, (Mintp), Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

Before the actual work, the members of the Committee visited the construction site that begins clearly from the current Nsimalen roundabout. Barriers are visible and impressive at certain places, because of the depth of some swampy areas, where devices are activated for the embankment.

The first five kilometres of the route is gradually taking form. As for the multiple wetlands which is slowing down the work, the head of the monitoring mission explained that "the fill solution proposed in the study phase will take two and a half years of consolidation. But then, we offered another solution which will take only seven to eight months of consolidation, in order to move faster".

Another concern was raised at the level of the bridge to be built on the Mefou. "A geophysical survey is underway, because faults were found at this location. If they are deep, there will be need to move the bridge for more stability," explained the technicians.

After the field visit, the work of the Steering Committee was held behind closed doors, in the Toutouli village, district of Yaoundé 4th. In his introductory remarks, Minhdu explained that there was need to see the state of progress of the work of the shave campaign, which stands at 20%.

Jean Claude Mbwentchou was not pleased about the "vicissitudes" that disrupted this highway: first non-compliance with the work schedule, the lack of preliminary studies and issues of expropriation and release of rights-of-way. According to the Minister, along the 10.8 km in this campaign only 5.5 km has so far been released.

Fortunately, the Prime Minister signed on August 17 a Decree of compensation for residents of Mfoundi. For the urban section, 10 km long, the construction work entrusted by procedure of mutual agreement to three companies for studies-achievements will start in 2016.