Minister Says Negative Social Media Comments Are Delaying Road Construction

The Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, revealed on December 1 that the execution rate of road construction in the country stands at 60 percent. Social media is to blame for the inability to reach a 100 percent execution rate.

Public Works Minister Emmanuel Ngannou Njoumessi said several factors were responsible for the delay in the execution. He highlighted abundant rainfall and the waywardness of road users.

Emmanuel Ngannou Njoumessi acknowledged the factors causing delays and stated, “The deliberate falsification and unbalanced spread of negative images in the internet, broadcast media, and newspapers drown out our efforts to improve their condition.”

The minister, while responding to questions from senators, recently said the media should be projecting the good image of the country instead.

“We should also be showing the beautiful images of the stunning recently paved Batschenga-Ntui-Yoko-Lena-Tibati backbone (415 km), the Sangmélima-Bikoula-Djoum-Mintom-Lélé-Ntam-Congo border sub-regional corridor (319 km), Maroua-Mora (60km), Kumba-Nfaitock (109 km), Olama-Bingambo (109 km), and Yaoundé-Bafoussam (325 km), among other roads, which are all paved,” he said.

Roads pending complete execution

On November 21, the Minister of Public Works told the National Assembly that Cameroon’s road network covers 121,873 km. Of that number of kilometres, 10,234 km has been paved as of December 31, 2023. He equally said as of December 24, 2024, some will be delivered.

However, if the overall pending projects are considered, the PM said construction works on the Bonepoupa-Yabassi road stand at 96%. Akokan-Batouri road: 95%; Ekondo Titi-Kumba road: 39%; and Awae-Esse-Soa road: 74%, among others.

The PM further stated that they have completed about 446 km of new asphalted roads. There are the Ntui-Ndjole, Ndjole-Mankim, Mankim-Meteing, and Tsap Tsap-Megang council roads of the Batchenga-Ntui-Yoko-Lena-Tibati road section; Carrefour Ekong-Carrefour Biyebe; and Melong-Bangem and slip roads: phase 2, conditional tranche, among others.

For those soon to be completed, he highlighted the Matazem-Welcome to Bamenda section of the Babadjou-Bamenda road; lots 2 and 3 of the Mbalmayo-Sangmelima road; the Bamougoum-Littoral border-West-Melong border; and the Bwiteva-Bokova-Bonakanda-Bova-Buea Town-Governor’s Junction, among others.

These roads are about 228 km of asphalted roads.

Mimi Mefo Info