Bakassi : Projects Worth FCFA 12 Billion Executed

Government and its partners plan to invest over FCFA 2.5 billion in priority projects in 2010.The government of Cameroon and its development partners, especially the European Union through the European Development Fund and the French Development Agency from 2007 to 2009 spent FCFA 12,037,101,398 to execute some priority projects and ongoing ones in the Bakassi peninsula, Nigeria handed over to Cameroon following the International Court of Justice ruling of October 10, 2002 on the border dispute between the countries. The Coordination and Follow-up

Committee for the Implementation of Priority Projects to be realised in Bakassi, chaired by Lekunze Ketuma Jacob, over the weekend in Yaounde published the progress report of projects execution in the peninsula between 2007 and 2009.The report contains projects grouped under 19 ministries and institutions such as the General Delegation for National Security, South West Development Authority (SOWEDA), Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (FEICOM). By the time of drafting the progress report, a global 91.2 percent execution rate had been recorded with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development topping the chart with 43 projects, while the Ministries of Tourism, Urban Development and Housing and Post and Telecommunications recorded a zero percent execution rate as all their projects had been postponed to subsequent fiscal years. Priority projects in the Bakassi peninsula concern Idabato, Kombo Itindi, Kombo Abedimo and Bamusso Subdivisions. The projects range from the construction and furnishing of classrooms, government offices, health centres, residences of workers, markets, speed boats for administrative authorities, water supply, generators for energy supply, social centres, women??s empowerment centres, support to farmers?? organisations, mobile telephone relay antennas, CRTV signal relay tower and broadcast centre. Other projects include equipping of security and defence forces, acquisition of land for State use, building of smoke houses and cold stores. The construction of the Mundemba-Isangele-Akwa road is on course.Priority for 2010The Bakassi Committee is budgeting over FCFA 2.5 billion for the continuous execution of priority projects in the peninsula. Members of the committee used their meeting of last March 11 in Yaounde to identify the priority projects for 2010 and the completion of others started in the previous years. The pressing problem in Bakassi, Lekunze Ketuma expressed in the report, is peopling the area by Cameroonian nationals and motivating government workers to go and work there. The ongoing projects in the peninsula are to ensure Cameroon??s effective possession. The Coordination and Follow-up Committee for the Implementation of Priority Projects to be realised in Bakassi, government created on August 27, 2007 believes that, ??the construction of camps for fishermen and providing them with fishing gears, the construction of big size community improved smoke houses, the extension of PAMOL plantation with the construction of camps for workers and the tarring of the Loum- Kumba-Ekondo-Titi-Mundemba-Isangele ??Akwa road seem the best levers on which we should positively solve the problem??, the progress report states. Emmanuel KENDEMEH, CT

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