Olembe low-cost housing project almost completed

Cameroonians who purchased apartments at the Olembe Low-cost Housing Estate in Yaounde are likely to start packing into their units by end of March 2016. The information was disclosed by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Jean Claude Mbwentchou after an inspection visit to the site with the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, Jacqueline Koung à Bissike, yesterday November 18, 2015.

Apartments Purchased

Information reveals that 50 per cent of the 500 housing units constructed by 10 local entreprises have been purchased. However, the occupants can only pack into the apartments by March next year when the parking lots and the collective drainage system will be in place. The commercialisation process is however not well advanced, with officials of the Ministry saying that things will move faster when the title deed is handed over to government by the Urban and Rural Lands Development and Equipment Authority, MAETUR. The process is ongoing and the title deed will confirm ownership. Jean Claude Mbwentchou regretted delays on the 500 housing units, saying issues have been ironed out, with apartments expected to be ready in January 2016.

Who Are The Buyers?

Information from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development speak of a multitude of Cameroonians rushing to acquire apartments at the Olembe Low-cost Housing Estate with cab drivers (some paying cash), business persons, civils servants, workers at parastatals, soldiers and policemen on the starting bloc. “Apartments at low-cost housing construction sites are meant for Cameroonians and they are taking up the offer without prejudice,” explained the Director of Social Housing and Real Estate in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Emmanuel Asongwed Anyang. The price per apartment ranges from FCFA 17-23 million for three bed-room and four bed-room apartments respectively.

Project Execution Rate

The sample lot of 1,200 apartments is executed at 100 per cent, with secondary works like the parking lot and the sewage system yet to be completed. The second lot of over 380 housing units constructed by 10 local companies is 80 per cent complete, with secondary works excluded. The third phase of 640 housing units by Cofor (the body in charge of local companies) is in troubled waters since the passing away of the Director General of the company. Less than 25 per cent of work has been executed by the company over the past three years. Government has issued the company warning letters. Construction in the Chinese section is already completed with secondary works like the parking lot, green area and sewage system, electricity and water being awaited. The company has already put up a dispensary and classrooms with Jean Claude Mbwentchou acknowledging the pace the China Shenyang National Company took to carry out the project. The sale of the apartments that are ready for occupation is yet to commence, with the prices yet to be determined.

Access Roads, Water, Electricity ….

Compensation for the second phase of the access road is over and work is expected to resume soon, the Minister assured. Work from the main road to the housing site is 85 per cent complete, with Eric Bertrand Mekongo of the Technical and Civil Engineering Follow-up Group, INTEG saying only the fly-over from the inter-section at the north entrance to the town remains. Meanwhile, inhabitants of the area are already packing out after receiving compensation dues. The deadline given in an ultimatum to cede the site is today November 19, 2015, with the Razel company hoping to commence work that can last two months. The service order for the access road to the stadium is yet to be issued, notification was made last October 22, 2015. Feeder roads in the Olembe site are the responsibility of MAETUR and there is little to show in this light.

Government requested five transformers from Energy of Cameroon, ENEO and the number is already installed at the project site, explained Jean Didier Ndo and Jean Paul Libam, Sub-Director of Operations and Maintenance in Yaounde and the Division Head for Studies, Work and Electricity Distribution in Yaounde, respectively. They however note that the project has witnessed extension that is yet to be taken into consideration for electricity supply. Over 10 transformers are needed for the entire site, it was revealed. Emmanuel Asongwed Anyang posited that ENEO was working hard while Camwater was already piping into the area for water supply.