Authorities strengthen security on railway network

The Minister of Transport, Robert Nkili, has delivered metal detectors to the heads of stations during the 22nd session of the Interdepartmental Committee on Railway Infrastructure (Comifer) held on August 7, 2015, in Yaoundé.

The device will be used for the strengthening of security measures on railway enterprises in Cameroon, in a context marked by suicide bombings perpetrated in the Far North region of the country by members of the Nigerian Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

In order to prevent these terrorist acts, which generally target busy locations such as train stations, Camrail, the Cameroonian railway, in collaboration with the forces of law and order, has implemented a series of measures to enhance security throughout the railway network.

Sources disclosed that they were the “systematic searches at the stations, the acquisition of hundreds of metal detectors, reinforcement of staff control before boarding, sensitization of vigilance committees and local residents installed along the track and permanent information of rail users.”

In addition to the security measures, the last Comifer meeting discussed the state of progress of the project for the renewal of 175 Km railway between Batschenga and Ka’a as well as on the projects for the acquisition of 3 locomotives, 5 modules railcar and 15 passenger cars in preparation for the African Nations football cup, which Cameroon will host in 2016 and 2019.

According to our sources, the Minister Nkili took the opportunity during this meeting to announce the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to develop the five-year plan (2016-2020) n ° 2 of the Camrail railway investments, the concessionaire of Cameroonian railway.