22, December 2023
We want, We go: Biya regime to build 3,060 housing units in Olembe to address shortage 0
The Cameroonian government launched the construction of 3,060 new housing units in Olembe, Yaoundé. The foundation stone was laid last December 19 by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Minhdu), Célestine Ketcha Courtès.
The initial pilot phase aims to build 60 housing units within nine months on a 5,000 m² space, including three buildings and a green area. The second phase will involve constructing the remaining 3,000 housing units on 20 hectares, starting in 2024 and spanning four years.
The project, entrusted to the Spanish group Pablo y Natalia Holding Group (PNHG), aligns with the government’s program to build 10,000 social housing units and develop 50,000 buildable plots. The Ministry said PNHG has a pragmatic approach to revitalizing the program and meeting the increasing demand, following less satisfactory results from previous initiatives.
The housing deficit in Cameroon is estimated at 2.5 million units. Authorities said the situation is due to demographic growth, poverty, and unemployment. To address this shortfall, the government initiated a program in 2010 to construct 10,000 units, aiming to provide access to decent housing for Cameroonians. The initial phase of this program included the construction of 1,675 homes in Yaoundé and Douala, with 500 planned for Olembe.
Source: Business in Cameroon
25, December 2023
Blast rocks market in Bamenda on Christmas Day with no casualties 0
An improvised explosive device exploded on Christmas Day morning in Bamenda, the chief town of Cameroon’s Anglophone region of Northwest that has been ravaged by years of armed separatist conflict, several local and security sources said.
The blast struck a market in the T-Junction neighborhood of the city, setting three makeshift shops ablaze, a security source said. “Fortunately the market closed for today, and that is why there were no casualties or injuries.”
“We heard the explosion sound. It was so loud and the sound caused panic among residents,” James Mbah, a resident of the city, told Xinhua over the phone.
Last week, separatist fighters warned that Christmas would not be celebrated in Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest because the feast falls on Monday, which has been imposed by them since 2017 as “ghost town day” during which all sorts of activities in the two regions do not function.
“We are all spending Christmas at home. The streets are empty and people are just afraid of the unknown and don’t want to step out,” Mbah said.
On Sunday, the region’s governor Adolphe Lele L’Afrique said extra security would be provided to churches and other places of worship because of Christmas.
“Our brave security forces will ensure the safety and security of everyone so that they can celebrate Christmas in peace. People need to collaborate with security forces as well,” the official told reporters after a security meeting in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.
Clashes between separatist fighters and government forces intensified in the regions since the start of this year. According to reports by local non-governmental organizations and security officials, abductions were rife, and more than 100 people including soldiers, separatist fighters and civilians have been killed in the conflict since January 2023.
Source: Xinhuanet