Minister Celestine Ketcha Courtes has beckoned on the population to liberate areas still occupied in order to enable the construction company to meet the 18 months deadline.
In all, some 17km of road will be tarred from the Lycée Bilingue Essos roundabout to the Tradex Eleveur roundabout and from Safari Roundabout to Tradex Eleveur under Yaounde V. The other stretches of road are under Yaounde VII, from Oyomabang to the road intersection in Leboudi, Camp Sonel roundabout to Evouna Bella and from Oyomabang centre roundabout to Nkolbisson. Financed by the World Bank, the road will be built by Sinohydro Corporation Limited under the supervision of the Yaounde City Mayor.
During a ceremony to officially launch the long awaited construction works on the aforementioned stretches of road, the population of Yaounde V turned out en masse to show appreciation to the Head of State Paul Biya for fulfilling the promise made since 2016. Five years since the commitment was taken to build the road, the population has known untold suffering due to the horrible state of the road, which according to Augustin Bala, Mayor of Yaounde V was not befitting for a divisional headquarter. Speaking during the event, the visibly elated Mayor enjoined the population to give a round of applause to President Paul Biya, for making the dream of seeing their road tarred come true. Convinced that the road will be a catalyst of development, the Mayor called on the population to be disciplined and understanding, as he promised to do his part for work to follow its course without hitches. As the custodian of the tradition and spokesperson of the Chiefs of the area, HRH Njengue gave the blessing of his comrades to the company in charge, while reassuring it of their will to accompany them to accomplish their mission.
If road works can finally commence on the Nkolmesseng stretch, it is thanks to enabling measures put in place by government, one of them being the compensation of displaced persons from the project area. In testimony to the fact that money for the population had been made available, a beaming Mr. Aloïs, one of the beneficiaries happily announced that others could follow his example by going to collect their money and quitting the project area. Lah Jung Anita, inhabitant of the Nkolmesseng neighbourhood, also shared his joy as she and others were hopeful that at the end of the project, memories of muddy and dusty roads would be forgotten.
To the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtes, it is imperative for the people to contribute to the advancement and completion within the stipulated deadline of the project. To her, they need to show patriotism by liberating the areas earmarked for the road.
Claudette CHIN
