PM orders stringent measures in award of buildings permits.

The Head of Government gave the instructions during an inter-ministerial meeting at the Star Building yesterday. 

The meeting, aimed at identifying necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of building collapse, was attended by some members of government, Governors of affected Regions as well as municipal authorities. It came after the two-storey buildings collapsed in the cities of Douala and Ngaoundere recently, killing scores of persons and several others left with life-threatening injuries.

During the inter-ministerial meeting, the issuance of building permits, the erection of buildings in urban areas and the law governing constructions in towns and cities were under the scrutiny of the Prime Minister and his collaborators. 

After close to two hours of deliberations, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute ordered his collaborators present to use more rigorous measures in the award of building permits and the respect of construction norms in Cameroon.   

In order to eliminate potential risks posed by buildings, the PM told those in attendance to ensure the firm application of laws governing construction and the stricter control of buildings under construction in urban areas. 

The PM also implored them to implement aggressive communication campaigns to sensitise stakeholders and the general populace on the need to respect building norms. 

Other measures, he said, touched on the identification of buildings that pose a threat to the population in view of a forthcoming demolition and greater vigilance in the issuance of construction permits. 

Municipal authorities were also been called upon to effectively perform their watchdog role in their different councils to prevent catastrophes resulting from buildings that do not respect norms.

After outlining the different measures to prevent further occurrence of building collapse, the PM insisted that they must be applied with immediate effect as instructed by the Head of State, President Paul Biya.

Those in attendance during yesterday’s session included Ministers Rene Emmanuel Sadi of Communication, Paul Atanga Nji of Territorial Administration, Henri Ayebe Ayissi of State Properties, Surveys and Land Tenure, and Celestin Ketcha Courtes of Housing and Urban Development.

The Governors of Littoral and Adamawa Regions, Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua and Kildadi Taguieke Boukar, respectively, as well as representatives of mayors were also in attendance.

Revisiting Douala, Ngaoundere incidents

The meeting came in the wake of the collapse of buildings in Douala and Ngaoundere last month.

On July 23, a two-storey building, with over 60 occupants, crumbled in the Mobile Guinness neighbourhood of Douala V municipality. 

Over 40 persons were confirmed dead, while about 10 persons were rescued from the rubble and rushed to the hospital. 

A day after the Douala incident, a four-storey building under construction collapsed in Ngaoundere, Adamawa Region, killing a woman and her three kids persons.

The incident occurred in the Cote d’Azur vicinity in Baladji, Ngaoundere.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtes, has said municipal authorities in the country have been empowered with legal instruments to ensure the proper construction of buildings, both at the level of studies and execution. 

In a July 28 circular, Minister Ketcha Courtes blamed the unfortunate accidents that claimed several lives on non-compliance with construction regulations. 

Citing the law of 21 April 2004, governing town planning in Cameroon, she called on mayors and city mayors to begin a campaign of identifying buildings and construction sites at risk, in order to initiate, where necessary, procedures leading to demolition.