Bamenda gets 30 billion FCFA to construct, upgrade roads.

This was during a working visit by the officials to Bamenda, Thursday April 18. 

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtes, put pen on paper for the deal on behalf of government, while the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Thierry Marchand, signed for his country. It was in the presence of the Director of the French Development Agency, FDA.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Ketcha Courtes, said she was happy to have signed the document to launch the construction and the rehabilitation of road projects of the C2D in Bamenda. 

The member of government called on the local authorities and the population of Bamenda to be ambassadors of the sustainable development of Bamenda. 

She also urged them to support the project, worth 30 billion FCFA, which will go a long way to provide jobs to the youth in the North West Region. 

“…we will make sure that the people of the North West Region will be the first employees of these projects. I want to call on our sons and daughters to rally for peace and make peace come back for our youths to benefit from this huge investment in Bamenda, so that nothing will interrupt the projects. I am counting on you, and you can equally count on me,” she added.

According to the minister, Bamenda deserves to be one of the most beautiful cities in the nation. 

For his part, the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Thierry Marshand, said Bamenda was the last step in the programme and for long they have tried with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to initiate the programme in Bamenda. 

"I am happy with the population of Bamenda because I know that this programme will transform the city and also transform the mindset of the population," he said.

The French Ambassador equally said they were in Bamenda to pave the way for peace in Cameroon, which Bamenda has a very important role to play for the Region and also for the country. 

"I am sure that this programme will help the city and the North West Region to find a way into the new future and to solve the road problems in the city," the Ambassador said.

"The French Debt Reduction-Development Contract, C2D, has been in Cameroon for over 10 years now. Bamenda is the last phase of its programme. I believe this project at completion, will transform the city and the mindsets of the population of Bamenda," Ambassador Marchand stated.

Enter Bamenda City Council Mayor 

Talking to the press, Bamenda City Mayor, Paul Achobong, intimated that with the signing of the C2D project convention, there is clear cut guarantee that the project will be realised for the benefit of the population.

"We thank God that we have been granted this C2D project of 30 billion FCFA. Any moment from now, works on roads within the city of Bamenda will commence. We are very grateful with the offer and want to thank the minister and the French ambassador," the City Mayor said. 

On the sidelines of the visit, the Minister and the Ambassador paid a courtesy visit on the North West Regional Assembly, during which the President of the Regional Assembly, Prof Fru Angwafo III, alongside members of the Regional Executive Council, gave them a warm welcome. 

In his welcome remarks, Prof Fru Angwafo III commended the partnership between the two nations [Cameroon and France], stressing the need for concerted efforts to address the unique urban challenges faced by the North West Region. 
He reiterated the Assembly's commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the C2D project for the benefit of the local communities.

About C2D

It should be noted that the Debt Relief-Development Contract, C2D, is a mechanism to relief indebted countries and a tool to restructure the debt of these countries. 

In the case of Cameroon, the reaching of the Completion Point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, HIPC, initiative, on April 28, 2006; resulted in the cancellation of 70% of its external debts.

France created the Debt-Relief and Development Contracts to mobilise and improve the living conditions of populations. 

C2Ds are therefore efforts made by France and concerned countries as a team in the fight against poverty. 

Cameroon was one of the first countries to benefit from the tool, through the signing of the first C2D convention, on June 22, 2006. 

Three partnership agreements have already been signed by both parties, for a total sum of 967 billion FCFA.