The Ministry of Territorial Administration, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, alongside the Limbe Council, have rolled out a series of measures to restore cleanliness and order.
This comes after mountains of waste overwhelmed these major urban centres. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtès, handed over two mechanical sweepers to the Yaoundé 1 and 5 councils on 26 January to strengthen their capacity in the fight against urban filth, while promising to provide more equipment to other cities and councils across the country Earlier, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, moved from words to action by delivering promised waste collec- tion equipment to the seven coun- cils of Yaoundé on 23 January. The package included 700 wheel- barrows, 700 shovels, 700 brooms, and 700 rakes, with 100 units allocated per council. Named the “Yaoundé Ville Propre” (Clean Yaoundé City) cam- paign, Paul Atanga Nji emphasised public responsibility during the donation: “When you finish eating your ba- nana, don’t throw it on the street. Carry it to a bin. This is a task that concerns all of us.”
Meanwhile, the Limbe City Coun- cil has recruited 200 youths on a six-month temporary basis. Su- pervised by the National Employ- ment Fund and recruited through a ballot, they are tasked with dis- posing of waste, clearing over- grown grass and trees, unblocking drainage channels, and maintain- ing office hygiene. Work has begun immediately, with groups assigned across the city. Mayor Paul Efome Ngale said the project aims to empower youths financially while keeping Limbe clean. So far, 6,000 trash bins have been strategically placed through- out the city. Road Construction in Yaoundé The capital city is also boosting its road maintenance capacity. On 23 January, the city mayor, Luc Messi Atangana, officially received a new asphalt plant with a production capacity of 60 tonnes per hour—the first of its kind ac- quired by a local authority in Cameroon—alongside a finisher to lay the asphalt produced by the plant.
These new additions complement existing equipment, including excavators, loaders, graders, back- hoes, four trucks, and four compactors acquired between 2023 and 2024. The new plant and finisher are expected to re- duce reliance on private civil engi- neering firms, speed up works, and generate budget savings. With this arsenal in place, the council could next pursue a mu- nicipal quarry and concrete plant, creating a full municipal works unit.
Jude VIBAN
