Govt delegation conduct feasibility studies on stadia project

Construction works on the Yaounde and Douala ultra-modern stadiums will soon begin.

After signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, the China Machinery and Equipment Company to work on the three models design for each of the stadiums were submitted to government inter-ministerial committee for approval.

Out of the six, two were retained; one for Yaounde and the other for Douala. After the adoption of the model, the company embarked on feasibility studies, testing the soil quality and topography of the chosen sites.

It was for a similar reason that the first site earmarked for the stadium in Douala Bakoko was changed to Japoma since the soil at Bakoko was marshy and needed a lot of digging that would lead to a high cost in construction.

According to the sub-director of infrastructure and sports equipment at Minsep, Tankeng Alphonse, the company has presented a draft cost of the projects and is awaiting the validation of government to formally sign a contract so as to effectively begin construction work.

The stadium in Yaounde shall be built in Olembe and will have a capacity of 60,000 seats whereas the one in Douala will be at Japoma and no longer Bakoko, with a capacity of 50,000 seats.

According to the chronogramme of activities, the two stadiums are supposed to be completed by June 2018.

The projects are supervised by the steering committee presided over by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and meets every Wednesday to evaluate the progress of the work.

The proposed stadiums will comprise training pitches, gymnasiums and courts for other sports disciplines like basketball, volleyball, tennis and handball.

The Yaounde stadium which has been christened, ‘Stade Paul Biya, will comprise an Olympic swimming pool, a new campus for the higher school of youth and sports, INJS, a hotel for athletes and a horse race track.