Cameroon is set to pave a 550-metre road in Mfoundi Division in bid to open the current impassable area to vehicle traffic. Jean Claude Tsila, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Mfoundi flagged off the project and handed over tools to the workers.
The half-kilometre road project runs between Entrée Ecole and Carrefour Vietnam. It is being carried out by the Council in conjunction with the Direct Labour, HIMO Unit of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) at a cost of US $243,000.
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Road project
The project will involve reconstructing the bridge over Abiergue Stream, cleaning the banks of the stream then paving the distance of 550 metres. Gutters and sidewalk balusters will also be constructed. Already, the stretch has been graded and the production of paving stones going on at the project site. About 120 workers and labourers are to be recruited.
The project will create local employment in respect of a directive from the Prime Minister that 10% of projects must use direct labour. It will also help in the transfer of skills for the Council to henceforth carry out similar projects on its own.
Upon completion the road will benefit inhabitants of Abobo-Messa, a neighbourhood in Oyom-Abang and Yaounde 7 Sub-divisional. So far, 130 applications have been submitted, with 50 retained, who are producing paving stones. The project will last seven months. Both skilled and unskilled people are being recruited.
State of roads in Cameroon
Cameroon’s central location in the network means that efforts to close the gaps which exist in the network across Central Africa rely on the Cameroon’s participation in maintaining the network, and the network has the potential to have a profound influence on Cameroon’s regional trade.
Except for the several relatively good toll roads which connect major cities all of which are one-lane roads are poorly maintained and subject to inclement weather. Only 10% of the roadways are tarred.
