By Bakah Derick
The North West regional delegate for Public Works has presented the situation of the Babadjou-Bamenda road as well as internal city roads in Bamenda. Ngwainbi Paul made the presentation in Bamenda on Tuesday 31 January 2022 during the second semester regional participatory follow-up committee of public investments projects in the North West Region for 2022.
Breaking down the Babadjou-Bamenda road down to three lots awarded to three different contractors, the state engineer indicated that the road is being done with several layers to make it solid and long lasting. Unlike previous technologies used that limited the lifespan of roads, the delegate maintained that the work on the famous Babadjou-Bamenda road will last for not fewer than 20years.
"If we add 20years to the 2023 that will be about 40years meaning that the Babadjou-Bamenda road is a road for Cameroon's emergent agenda." Ngwainbi said
While regretting that construction works on the National road number six (N6) has been slowed down by lack of various petroleum products needed in the process, the public works delegate estimated that most of the lots have gone passed 10 percent physical execution rate. He however disclosed that his minister had ordered for "preferential supply" of the product to ensure work resumes soonest.
On the Socio-economic infrastructure related to the road, Ngwainbi revealed that Santa Subdivision will benefit feeder roads estimated at about 25km including the Matazem-Piyin stretch while Bamenda I will benefit about 20km including the Custom-Bamendakwe Palace stretch.
"Before the November meeting let us talking about the reception of Babadjou-Bamenda road" the follow-up committee chair Hon Walang Richard told the delegate while appreciating the work being done. He insisted on the need for local labour to be used by the various contractors working on the different lots. The Hon Walang Richard led committee went on to reward the delegate and others for the work being done to ensure effective realisation of public investment projects in the region.
The public works delegate used the meeting to announced that studies are still underway to meet the request of Bamenda City authorities to move the initially approved 16m wide internal city roads to 30m. He didn't indicate how soon that could be completed but promised that his ministry was particularly concerned about the project.
Hope that calm could return for the ring-road project to continue from the Kumbo to Ndu stretch also featured in the delegates' presentation.