Promise made, promise kept: Biya offers giant water project to Maroua.

It is in keeping to this that the Minister of Water and Energy Resources, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, on the instruction of the Head of State, launched a giant water project to serve the population of Maroua and improve their livelihoods.

Minister Eloundou Essomba performed the exercise yesterday. He laid the foundation stone of the Special Potable Water Supply Scheme, SPWSS. 

The project, once completed, will supply thirteen thousand cubic metres of potable water, daily, to a majority of residents of Maroua, chief town of the Far North Region.

The Maroua Water Scheme, the minister said, is just part of Phase II of the close to 63 billion FCFA Potable Water Supply Project that covers nine cities. This Second phase will cover the towns of Maroua, Garoua, Garoua-Boulai, Yabassi and Dschang. 

The member of government was accompanied by the General Manager of the Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation, CAMWATER, Blaise Moussa; the Minister of Public Contracts, Ibrahim Talba Malla; the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, Yaouba Abdoulaye as well as a host of other top personalities.

Minister Essomba, told the population of Maroua and the local administration that CAMWATER has put in place all necessary modalities to ensure safe and timely delivery of the project. 

The project, which he said is a vision of the Head of State, the minister added, is in line with the United Nations, UN, Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, number six. 

The minister disclosed that government has already made available its own part of the funds while other international lending institutions have also kept their side of the bargain.

Works to be undertaken by the contractors include the rehabilitation of obsolete installations, provision of new installations where they never existed, reinforcing capacities where the volume of supply is low, expanding production capacities where necessary and modernising distribution networks.

Minister Essomba said, the government, represented by the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, and donor partners signed an agreement with the Export-Import-Bank of China, to provide funds.

The project also requires the construction of a new water treatment centre in Maroua, as well as improving the water supply and distribution network of the town.

Five new pumping stations for Maroua

Specifically, for Maroua, the minister disclosed that five new pumping stations will be constructed to supply an additional 13,000 metre cube of water. 

A reservoir with a capacity to hold 5,000 cubic metres of water, he also said, will be constructed in addition to improving the distribution network.

Eight modern boreholes, seven old rehabilitated

In Garoua, capital of the North Region, the minister disclosed that eight boreholes will be constructed while seven existing ones will be rehabilitated. 

Security, he also added will be reinforced through the construction of mixed concrete and metal fences.

Garoua water treatment centre

A centre to treat 25,000 metric cubes of water will also see the light of day in Garoua Old-Town. 

A similar facility will also be erected in Garoua New-Town with a capacity of 1,600 cubic metres.

Electronic, electro-magnetic installations

Electronic and electro-magnetic installations will also be provided in the North regional capital, as well as rehabilitation and renewal of essential equipment. 

Even more, is the improvement of distribution network with an increase in the size of the pipes from DN 90 to DN 350 within the regional capital.