FCFA 403.9 bln for road infrastructure

The Ministry of Public Works will in 2016, carry out investments and operations worth FCFA 403.9 billion, a figure that has increased by 78.1 billion compared to the FCFA 325.7 billion of 2015.

Public Works Minister, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, defended the draft budget at the Commission on Finance and Budget of the National Assembly on December 1, 2015, with the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Rosette Ayayi presiding. FCFA 325.7 billion will be used for operations and FCFA69 billion for investment.

The detailed programme was presented to members of the Committee, with the Ministry intending to continue construction work on roads like a 68 km Yaounde-Douala (phase 1) highway, Sangmelima-Ouesso; Sangmelima-Bikoula; Bikoula Djoum and Djoum-Mintoum, the Foumban-Manki, the Ndop-Kumbo ring road among others.

Road projects to begin in 2016 include the construction of the Kribi-Edea motorway, the first phase which concerns the Lolabe-Kribi town stretch, the construction of the Mbama-Messamena road, the development of the access roads to the stadiums under construction as well as the monitoring and control of construction works on 10 stadiums and the rehabilitation of five others for the 2016 and 2019 AFCON.

Rehabilitation projects earmarked for execution in 2016 shall concern the Moro-Dabanga and Dabanga-Kousseri, Yaounde-Douala, Yaounde-Bafousam-Bamenda and the rehabilitation of the Ngolbang-Zoetele-Sangmelima-Mezesse-Meyomessala road.

Minister Nganou Djoumessi stated that “Apart from the Ebebda Bridge and Babdjou-Bamenda Road sections for which funds have already been made, the financing for the other projects are yet to be secured. He told the press after hours of grilling in the chambers that his team was going; “to emphasise on the necessity to open up production basins so that the people from most remote areas of the country can feel concerned with the progress made, by the conveyance of rural products to commercial centres.”