Town planning profession to be restructured

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, defended the 2015 budget at the National Assembly on December 4, 2014.

Government will next year carry out studies on a Housing Code and the restructuring of the town planning profession. Speaking on December 4, 2014, at the National Assembly after defending the budget for 2015, Minister Jean Claude Mbwentchou, also announced the extension of the Chinese-led low-cost housing scheme to Limbe in the South West Region, Bafoussam in the West Region, Sangmelima in the South Region, and Bamenda in the North West Region – with 100 houses to be constructed in each of these towns.

With a draft budget of FCFA 103.2 billion – FCFA 81.1 billion for capital expenditure and FCFA 22 billion for recurrent expenses – the New Year will also see the effective start of work on 39 km of rain runoff drainage canals in Douala. In order to ease mass transit in major cities, feasibility studies will be completed on the Rapid Bus Transit programmes in Yaounde and Douala; while road networks in these cities will be extended.

With regards to the urban social environment, young people will be trained in petty trades in the Youth Empowerment Centres of Bamenda II, Ngaoundere II and Messsamena. Material and equipment will also be provided to these centres.

Similarly, construction will continue on the MINDUH Regional Delegation buildings in Maroua in the Far North Region and Ngaoundere in Adamawa Region.