Far North: Minister launches resilient cities project, inspects C2D-Urban "Regional Capitals" projects.

The project aims at improving urban management and access to infrastructure, particularly for poor neighbourhoods, and increase resilience to natural hazards and other eligible crises. 

The project was launched during the minister’s two-day working visit to the city of Maroua in the Far North Region. She was accompanied by the French Ambassador to Cameroon. 

The PDVIR project, worth over 7 billion FCFA, targets a 5-km stretch of road covering the Ziling and Ourou Tchede neighbourhoods in Maroua and is expected to last for six months. 

During the launch of the project, Minister Ketcha Courtes, said: "All these measures put in place by the government show that it has its people at heart, and I will ensure that the work goes exactly as planned".

She added that: "I am happy to be here in Maroua. Contractors are supposed to respect the deadline, which is six months. The work is ongoing, and the project is worth over 7 billion FCFA, which is why I have signed a performance convention with all the companies in charge of the work, hoping to be back here after six months".

The Housing and Urban Development boss, alongside the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Thierry Marchand, also visited several sites under the C2D-Urban "Regional Capitals" Projects.

The areas visited included markets funded by the French government. The French Ambassador to Cameroon said he was satisfied with the workload completed already. 

"The C2D-Urban 'Regional Capitals Projects was launched here in Maroua two years ago. The landscape is already much transformed, and we hope work goes on smoothly so that it is concluded as planned," said the French Ambassador.

Residents say some of the roads tarred already under the C2D are experiencing little or no dust. 

"The dust here made things complicated for us. It was hard to sell or even stay by the roadside, but that's not the case anymore," said Ibrahima, a roadside vendor.

Before wrapping up her visit, Minister Ketcha Courtes also inaugurated the Kakatare stretch of road which is part of the Maroua Urban Road Network but not included in C2D projects.

The local population is hoping for more projects to come under completion to solve the problem of road infrastructure in the region.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3291 of Friday November 15, 2024