Bafoussam Stadium: Water, electricity still luxuries!

These services alongside outer works of the stadium constitute government’s quota of the deal.

As the Chinese contractor braces up to complete construction works on the Bafoussam stadium, the edifice may still need to wait for some time before swinging into full use owing to other facilities that are still lacking.

This is so as the contract government signed with China Machinery Engineering Corporation was solely for the erection of the stadium.

What is Pending? The stadium for now doesn’t have water and electricity. This is government’s responsibility. And without this, the stadium cannot function. While government still reflects on how to supply these indispensable facilities, it would be worthwhile to understand that the quality of infrastructure in the stadium will require hefty energy supply. For instance, the four steel structure lamp towers with 69 lamps and 13 emergency lamps to provide enough illumination will require good quantity and quality energy supply to function at optimum.

Meanwhile, water is needed there in abundance to keep the turf ever fresh. The ongoing rainy season is providing moisture for the grass seeds to germinate and grow but inbuilt water will be needed when the rains go to water the grass to maturity and to keep the 24 automatic sprinklers with 20.1m spray radius working when need be.

Off Stadium Works The outdoor works still wanting in the stadium include the construction of a tickets office, parking ground, fence wall, training ground and tennis and basketball playgrounds. Officials of China Machinery Engineering Corporation say the outfit has made proposals to government on how to go about the yet-to-be contracted outdoor works.

What is Government Doing? According to the Governor of the West Region, Awa Fonka Augustine, who is also the Chairman of the Regional Follow up Committee of the stadium’s construction works, government is conscious of what is supposed to be done and is leaving nothing to chance. “The games cannot take place there in that state and government cannot come up with such a jewel and make it impossible for people to have access to it.

That requires a different contract all together. That will be done. It’s just a question of time. It’s in government’s plan and we have already mentioned to hierarchy to look into that,” he told Cameroon Tribune. He noted that government has to work on the packing space around as well as access into the stadium. Governor Awa Fonka Augustine disclosed that there is also the construction of a referral hospital in view in that zone alongside low-cost housing which both require good access road into that zone.

“Today, it is a whole package because originally, it was only a question of the stadium but government felt that you cannot build a stadium and allow it isolated. In the case of any injuries in the pitch, we need a hospital nearby and with the hospital you don’t keep the nurses and the doctors far away. For that to be complete, we need water, electricity and access road. All of these fall within the urgent programmes of the State,” he said Cameroon Tribune