Spectacular Show of Solidarity!

In unison, the people of the East Region from within and without came out en masse to salute the dawn of a new era for them and the country's energy sector. The historic laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the multi-billion Lom-Pangar Hydroelectric Dam Friday August 3 drew unprecedented crowds of people who started streaming into the ceremonial grand at Lom-Pangar, Lom and Djerem Division, as early as 6 am taking up vantage positions, about six hours to the arrival of the Head of State at midday.

Even those who for one reason or the other could not undertake the Lom-Pangar trip lined the streets from Bertoua through Belabo, Deng-Deng and other villages to cheer guests as they thronged the site in what many described as one of, if not the heaviest, convoy the region had ever known. Like those in the ceremonial ground, bystanders sang and danced as the guests drove past; praising the government of Cameroon and the Head of State as well as the five donor agencies thanks to whom the much heralded project is taking off.

Grouped according to their Divisions and Sub-divisions, the over 10,000 mammoth crowd with colourful dance groups from all the nooks and crannies of the four Divisions of the region tirelessly thrilled guests with inspiring songs in both the vernacular and French languages and entertaining dances. Both in song, dance or banners that inundated the entire Region and especially the ceremonial village, one message was dominant: "Lom-Pangar dam, the dream of a region, hope of a nation." And the bright sunshine throughout the ceremony was a motivating factor.

And when the helicopter on board the guest of honour, the Head of State, landed at the heliport, the groups sang and danced as if they would never do so again. From the Mayor of Belabo through the spokesperson of the elite to the traditional rulers, the joy was total. So much because the Head of State was visiting the region 15 years after he communed with the people of the East Region during campaigns for the 1997 Presidential election. "You are true to your words. We are convinced that you will continue with what you have begun in our Region," the spokesperson of the elite, Bernard Wongolo, said as the people joined him in applause. The greatest applause came when he stretched his hands in beg for a State University for the East Region and as he ended up, it looked like they had rehearsed for when he said, "un seul mot" the huge crowd joined the chorus in saying, "continuez".

Blessings For More Projects

The gift of the traditional rulers to President Paul Biya comprising a white horse symbolising strength and rapidity, a drum as a tool for communication, a lion stature representing strength and majesty as well as other arts objects from the best wood species of the Equatorial forest gave the Head of State a push in pursuit of his 'Greater Accomplishment' project. And when the Head of State personally stepped down to receive the gifts after shaking hands with the traditional rulers as well as promising to strive to make good use of the gifts and to live up to them sent the population into ecstasy. Throughout his about 10-minute speech, the Head of State received spontaneous thunderous applauses from the attentive and expectant population.

Palpable Fruits of the Project

In a random sampling of their opinions, the population said they could not but be grateful as the Lom-Pangar dam will unearth the many development potentials of the Region. Already, access between Bertoua to Lom-Pangar through Deng-Deng is assured. Over FCFA 1.255 billion has been shared out to some 822 people affected by the project, some 57 near modern homes, a church and a mosque have been constructed for the people to replace the hitherto thatched houses. Health, agriculture, education, fisheries and livestock, mining and forestry and wildlife will also receive a great boost with the project. The fact that the project will produce 30 MW of energy to supply the isolated network of the Region as well as a 90 kV high tension line facilitating energy supply for over 150 rural communities and the connection of more than 10,000 households in the Region gave them reason to hope that time for darkness and underdevelopment was over. "Where a road passes, development follows and he who has light has life. We will have all of these," the elated population unanimously told this reporter.