Public Works Minister visits Kumba-Mamfe road today

Patrice Amba Salla, Minister of Public Works will today, Monday, June 22, begin an inspection tour of two major road projects in the South West Region – the Kumba-Mamfe and the Mamfe-Ekok roads currently under construction.

The Cameroon Journal has been informed that the minister will visit the Kumba- Mamfe road construction site Monday, and will on Tuesday June 23, visit the Mamfe- Ekok road.

Construction work on the roads is expected to be completed in 36 months. It is being executed by two Companies, China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) and Jiangsu Provincial Transportation Engineering Group.

It is expected that some FCFA 32.6 billion will be paid CCCC to construct the road from Kumba to Kumbe –Bakundu, covering some 54 kilometers for the first phase. Phase two of the project covers 50 kilometers from Kumbe-Bakundu to Nfaitock.

On their part, Jiangsu Provincial Transportation Engineering will pocket over FCFA 22billion for the 2nd phase of 46.8km from Nfiatock to Mamfe. The minister is expected to formerly launch work on the Kumba-Mamfe road after a local launch early this year by the First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Mbua Epolewane Verklin.

According to the Public Relation Officer of Konye Council, Eddy Bokuba, transport fares have since dropped from the hitherto FCFA 5,000 from Konye to Kumba to about FCFA 1,500 for the same distance with commencement of work on the road.

The African Development Bank, ADB is the main sponsor of the Kumba Mamfe road. According to the ADB, the project seeks to improve the level of service of the Kumba-Mamfe Road (National Road number 8), which is an extension of the multinational Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok-Nigeria border Corridor under construction with the Bank’s financing.

The road project covers a linear distance of 150.87 km. It also comprises work on some related rural development roads, rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure, and promotion of youth employment. The expected outcome will be the overall reduction of transport costs in this region with a very high agricultural potential.

The project implementation will cover 5 years at a total cost estimated at UA 108.45 million. ADF’s contribution is estimated at UA 47.26 million. The other co-financiers are the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) (UA 31.62 million), and the Republic of Cameroon (UA 29.57 million).

The direct beneficiaries of the project are the 1,384,286 inhabitants of the three divisions of the South West Region, while the people of Nigeria’s eastern States will benefit from the project indirectly, given its regional nature. The beneficiary population will contribute to the construction, management and maintenance of some related infrastructure.