At the conclusion of President Paul Biya’s seven-year term, which began in 2011 and is marked by great achievements, none of the ten flagship projects have been completed or are in compliance with the planned deadlines.
These are:
1. The complex industrial port of Kribi,
2. The hydroelectric dam of Mekin,
3. The hydroelectric project of Memve’ele,
4. The second bridge on the Wouri,
5. The Yaounde-Douala highway.
The Minister of Public Works as an example can not give a deadline for the completion of the Yaounde-Douala highway. The detailed design was validated in October 2014, one year after the start of Phase 1 work by the Chinese. The government finally decided to build a temporary structure, deciding to reduce the width of this 196-kilometer long expressway. It will now be 2 times2 channels of 3.75m each. Later, the third ways will be made on both sides.
The delay in most projects is related to the compensation problems of the population, some of whom continue to occupy the rights of way of work. The Yaoundé Food Project and its surrounding area with drinking water from the Sanaga (Paepys) supposed to offer 300 000 m3 / day is only at a realization rate of 30%, 20 months after its launch. The project is planned to be completed in 16 months, in December 2019.
The Minister of Public Works as an example can not give a deadline for the completion of the Yaounde-Douala highway. The detailed design was validated in October 2014, one year after the start of Phase 1 work by the Chinese. The government finally decided to build a temporary structure, deciding to reduce the width of this 196-kilometer long expressway. It will now be 2 times2 channels of 3.75m each. Later, the third ways will be made on both sides.
The puzzle of compensation
The delay in most projects is related to the compensation problems of the population, some of whom continue to occupy the rights of way of work. The Yaoundé Food Project and its surrounding area with drinking water from the Sanaga (Paepys) supposed to offer 300 000 m3 / day is only at a realization rate of 30%, 20 months after its launch. The project is planned to be completed in 16 months, in December 2019.
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To believe, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, the Minister of Water and Energy, most of the rights of way is still occupied by people waiting to be paid before leaving. Only 2 billion F have been paid so far with a remaining 10 billion to be paid again. “It would be highly desirable that the issue of compensation be resolved soon,” said the project director, Dieudonné Ombala, May 14. Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba replied that “the mobilization of funds is underway. ”
The issue of compensation has plummeted for 4 years the progress of works on the Yaounde-Douala highway entrusted to the Chinese company China First Highway Engeneering Company. To date, the company can only work on 40 kilometers of the 100 involved in phase 1 of the project. It is impossible for her to respect the 5-year contractual period that expires in October 2018. The construction site was blocked several times by people angry because they were injured in the compensation process.
Compensation is a problem in large projects because the financial partners do not support them. This is the case of Exim Bank China, which finances Paepys and the Memve’ele hydroelectric project. The state of Cameroon has to compensate, but the funds are not always available on time. In reality, the state is struggling to ensure the financial release that falls to him.
Completed, the project Memve’ele delayed to be delivered for lack of 50 billion F needed to build the access road to the hydroelectric dam. In addition, Cameroon, which was negotiating a loan of 90 billion Exim Bank, could not pre-finance the construction of the transmission line.
The company Synohydro had to put 40 billion F to start the works which are today out of time. Another component of the project that is trampling is the Memve’ele socio-economic accompaniment program (Pasem). It aims to improve the living conditions of the people. “The Ministry of Finance must put the funds in the account of the Pasem,” says Gerard-Paul Onji’i Esono, the communication officer of Project Memve’ele. Funds that are slow to be released.
The conduct of major projects is also influenced by the structural problems of the state. Former Minister of Health and Secretary of State for Finance in charge of Structural Adjustment and Economic and Financial Stabilization Urbain Olanguena Awono, now in prison, points out in her book Urgence of a New Republican Pact: Dream of future for Cameroon, that, “badly tied up, overvalued, or undervalued, marked often of the suspicion of the corruption, badly piloted, executed sometimes with discount compared to the original project, most of the yards engaged in these conditions will not be completed in the short term and at worst risk being abandoned … “.
Actors of the administration involved in the conduct of these projects act according to their personal interests. According to Remy Etogo Mbarga, a consultant involved in the Paepys project, “Some high-ranking people have created blockages since their personal interests were not taken into account. We lost time doing explanations that we would have done well, “he says.
4 billion F intended to compensate the population following the construction of the industrial-port complex of Kribi had led many officials who had diverted this money for their benefit in prison. All our attempts to evaluate the level and progress of unfinished or undelivered work have been unsuccessful.
The issue of compensation has plummeted for 4 years the progress of works on the Yaounde-Douala highway entrusted to the Chinese company China First Highway Engeneering Company. To date, the company can only work on 40 kilometers of the 100 involved in phase 1 of the project. It is impossible for her to respect the 5-year contractual period that expires in October 2018. The construction site was blocked several times by people angry because they were injured in the compensation process.
Compensation is a problem in large projects because the financial partners do not support them. This is the case of Exim Bank China, which finances Paepys and the Memve’ele hydroelectric project. The state of Cameroon has to compensate, but the funds are not always available on time. In reality, the state is struggling to ensure the financial release that falls to him.
Availability of funds and corrupt administration
Completed, the project Memve’ele delayed to be delivered for lack of 50 billion F needed to build the access road to the hydroelectric dam. In addition, Cameroon, which was negotiating a loan of 90 billion Exim Bank, could not pre-finance the construction of the transmission line.
The company Synohydro had to put 40 billion F to start the works which are today out of time. Another component of the project that is trampling is the Memve’ele socio-economic accompaniment program (Pasem). It aims to improve the living conditions of the people. “The Ministry of Finance must put the funds in the account of the Pasem,” says Gerard-Paul Onji’i Esono, the communication officer of Project Memve’ele. Funds that are slow to be released.
The conduct of major projects is also influenced by the structural problems of the state. Former Minister of Health and Secretary of State for Finance in charge of Structural Adjustment and Economic and Financial Stabilization Urbain Olanguena Awono, now in prison, points out in her book Urgence of a New Republican Pact: Dream of future for Cameroon, that, “badly tied up, overvalued, or undervalued, marked often of the suspicion of the corruption, badly piloted, executed sometimes with discount compared to the original project, most of the yards engaged in these conditions will not be completed in the short term and at worst risk being abandoned … “.
Actors of the administration involved in the conduct of these projects act according to their personal interests. According to Remy Etogo Mbarga, a consultant involved in the Paepys project, “Some high-ranking people have created blockages since their personal interests were not taken into account. We lost time doing explanations that we would have done well, “he says.
4 billion F intended to compensate the population following the construction of the industrial-port complex of Kribi had led many officials who had diverted this money for their benefit in prison. All our attempts to evaluate the level and progress of unfinished or undelivered work have been unsuccessful.
