Port of Garoua project: The urgent opportunity to industrialise Northern regions.

They made the strong recommendation during a recent workshop in Garoua, North Region. The Governor of the North Region, Jean Abate Edi’i, presided over deliberations.

The gathering was on the “restitution and appropriation of studies carried out for the Lake Lagdo, River Benoue and Lake Maga Drainage Project”.

Participants emerged from the meeting, making a strong case for the Garoua Port project to see the light of day. They said the project remains central in reawakening multiform development across the grand North and boosting trade with neighbouring countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic, CAR.

Given Garoua’s location and the enormous potential of the project, participants were unanimous that the project is a must that needs the contribution of all and sundry to be realised.

Participants at the workshop comprised; the General Managers of the Douala and Kribi ports, officials of key ministries viz; Transport, Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT; State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure.

There was also the Director General of the National Port Authority, the President of the North Regional Council, the Director General of the Mission for Studies and Development of the North Region known by its French acronym, MAEDEN, the City Mayor of Garoua, mayors, and other stakeholders, including investors.

According to the Governor of the North Region, the massive attendance of stakeholders at the invitation of the government tells of the importance of the Garoua Port project. 

He was categorical about its potential in changing development and boosting growth, not only in the Northern Regions but for Cameroon as a whole.

“I am delighted to see all the players here; including representatives of ministries, heads of port authorities, elected representatives and experts from all over Cameroon, working together to find an appropriate strategy to deal with the issues that have brought us together…,” Abate Edi’i stated.

Project to reclaim lost glories

The Governor used the gathering to situate participants at the historic gathering on where the Benue River placed Cameroon in terms of trade between 1930 and 1980. 

He remarked that River Benue “played a crucial role in the socio-economic development of the north of Cameroon and neighbouring Chad, facilitating agricultural exports and various imports”.

But things took another twist decades down the line; resulting in a slowdown in traffic across River Benue, the Governor said. 

He intimated that the situation was “with the opening up of road and rail lines”, plus “the construction of the Lagdo Dam, leading to a reduction in the depth of the river and a decline in traffic from the 1990s onwards”.

The challenge, he said, is even complex now with the decline of water levels, thus calling for a futuristic and urgent actions to get it done in line with the current global demands.

In this light, the North Governor said: “Water is essential in the operation of a port, which is itself vital to the development of a Region. The port sector is an engine for economic growth, generating jobs and contributing to Gross Domestic Product, GDP. Despite reforms to revitalise the sector, the Port of Garoua is still lagging behind due to the silting up of River Benue”.

Port within Biya’s National Development Strategy…

The Governor also said revitalising the Port of Garoua is a key aspect of the National Development Strategy, SND 2020-30, under the impetus of the Head of State, Paul Biya.

He also quoted the Head of State’s declaration in his address to the nation on December 31, 2021, on the need to ensure even development nationwide. 

The administrator quipped that making the Garoua Port project a reality is part of that vow.

“The rehabilitation of the port of Garoua is part of this process, in line with the National Development Strategy 2030, which aims to build strategic infrastructure in the country's main Regions,” Abate Edi’i stated. 

He nonetheless reminded participants that before now, the “State has already undertaken a number of actions, including the creation of the Autonomous Port of Garoua and the reorganisation of the Mission Upper Benue Development Plan in 2002, which became Mission of Studies for the Planning and Development of the North Region, MEADEN”.

Further studies on potential of River Benue

Still in line with getting the best out of the huge potential of River Beneue, Governor Abate Edi’i indicated that government has, through MEADEN, been furthering studies.

These, he underscored, have had to do with addressing challenges. 

The works done this far, he indicated, include “a study to explore solutions to these problems, by analysing the river's hydrological, ecological and commercial characteristics”. 

The goal, he further said, is to guide investments and ensure River Benue, through the Garoua Port project, regains its lost glory.

In the perspective of calls for full-scale investment into the project, the Governor remarked that it “aims to enhance the value of River Beneue and its coastline”. 

He reassured partners at the Garoua meeting that the “government is continuing to move forward with its maturation” with data collection currently on course.

Opening up Grand North, Chad, CAR to world

For one thing, the Garoua Port project, the Governor told stakeholders, has the unique potential of serving as the engine of development for the three Northern Regions and neighouring landlocked countries of Chad and the Central African Republic, CAR to the rest of the world.

He indicated that: “Unlike Cameroon's other ports, Garoua is a river port, located on the banks of River Benoue, which means that specific challenges such as silting, security and climate change have to be taken into account”.

Multiple openings for industrial port project

The North Region boss also called for good preparation in ensuring the port project is a success. 

While supporting calls for the Garoua Industrial Port complex, he said the Far North Region, known for its huge cereal production capacity, could benefit from the envisaged Garoua Cereal Terminal to reach a bigger market.

Abate Edi’i equally indicated that “other potential activities such as the creation of a naval workshop, the local manufacture of boats, and the use of sand extracted from River Benoue for property development”, will also gain steam.

Doubling on AFCON investments to enhance development

Another issue that makes arguments in favour of the Garoua Port project potent and urgent, the Governor indicated, are the huge investments made during the 33rd edition of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, which Cameroon hosted.

He said there is the urgent need to continue emboldening Garoua’s development potential with such a huge investment. 

“Garoua, which has become increasingly attractive with the development of the AFCON 2021 infrastructure, must now reach its full potential,” he said. 

The administrator equally underlined the need to mobilise resources for the huge investment. 

“The Garoua Port offers numerous opportunities, but it is crucial to finalise the studies, to continue maturing the project, and to find the necessary financing,” the North Region Governor stated.

Work done during restitution gathering

To note that the focus of participants during the Garoua gathering was to assess a report which two firms viz; LE COMPETING /BET GEOCOMPETENCE and SCET TUNISIE, presented on the project. 

The two are the firms that carried out the studies on the Garoua Port project.

Stakeholders used the workshop to analyse what was presented and made essential proposals that could speed up the realisation of the Garoua Port project. 

Participants also validated the report, which is now a blueprint to guide investment.

Key issues that also caught the interest of participants were the soundness of the project, its hydrological, ecological and environmental features. 

They also looked at the potential of commercial exchanges from the project and its attractiveness to investors.

Holistic conclusions

Participants rose from the meeting, concluding on the need to extend the current perimeter of the site of the port project. 

They also agreed that the project will be developed through a Master Plan for the Development of the Garoua Port. 

The plan, they agreed, will be in line with the National Plan for Sustainable Planning and Development in tandem with the Regional Development Plan for the North Region.

Additionally, the stakeholders said investments will be made, taking into consideration others across the three Northern Regions such as; the dry Port of Ngaoundere in the Adamawa Region and the project to extend the Ngaoundere-Ndjamena railway, which will also pass through the city of Garoua.

Douala Port Authority ready to support project

Emerging from the meeting, the General Manager, GM, of the Port Authority of Douala, PAD, Cyrus Ngo’o, said the institution under his command is ready to use its decades rich experience to support the Garoua industrial port project.

The PAD General Manager told reporters that the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, Alamine Ousmane Mey, “formally requested the Port Authority of Douala to give its expertise and knowhow on two principal aspects; the first aspect is that of dredging. Everyone knows that at PAD we have over 50 years of experience in this domain”. 

Cyrus Ngo’o added that: “The government envisages rehabilitating the dry port of Garoua by giving it the dimension following the port reforms of 1990”.

On the significance of the project, he affirmed that: “Everyone knows the importance of having a port in an economy. In the case of the city of Garoua, it is a question of making it a port city and consequently make it the lungs of the three Northern Regions”.

Need for development compass 

On the way forward, he said: “It is now a matter of putting in place structures that will serve the objective of the project. We have the ambition of proposing to the government the putting in place of head of development who will be the compass through which all the structural projects will be put in place”. 

Stakeholders’ conclusion on project

The vision is to make the planned river port of Garoua the economic hub of the northern Regions, by developing an industrial port complex extending beyond the current perimeter. 

This vision will be developed through a Master Plan for the Planning and Development of the port of Garoua. 

The master plan will have to be consistent with the National Plan for Sustainable Planning and Development and the Regional Development Plan for the North Region. 

It will also tie with planned investments such as the dry port of Ngaoundere and the project to extend the Ngaoundere-Ndjamena railway, which will inevitably pass through Garoua.

Recommendations

At the end of the Garoua workshop, participants made the following recommendations in order to realise the vision outlined above:

Create a specific port authority for the management of the modern Port of Garoua, and special units for the functionality of the Port of Garoua, specifically in charge of dredging, safety and security, among other things;

Reconstitute the perimeter of the port in its entirety and consider its extension, with the assistance of the Benue Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, and the North Regional Delegate of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure;

Examine the feasibility of improving the proposed dredging of 2.5 m in content in the current studies to seven metres, in line with the Government's stated vision, in order to obtain a draught that can support the transport of various containers and minerals;

Update and finalise the studies currently underway on the navigability of the Beneue River undertaken by the Government viz: sediment characterisation studies; hydrographic studies of the River Benoue; bathymetric, hydro-sedimentary, limnometric, pluviometric/climatological studies. 

The study of the installation of micro-turbines on the intakes of the MAGA irrigation canals and the maintenance and protection of the infrastructures of the MAGA artificial lake;

To include in the studies the issue of the construction of collinear dams and the dredging of the various tributaries and outfalls of the River Benoue in order to optimise the long-term planned dredging solution;

Collaborate with the major players involved in the projects such as National Ports Authority, APN; Niger Basin  Authority, NBA; Energy of  Cameroon, ENEO respectively to: Involve the APN in the finalisation of the studies for the development and operation of the river port of Garoua, as planner and institution charged with ensuring the coherence of all port activities in Cameroon; ensure with NBA, the navigability of the Nigerian portion of the continuity of the River Benue; arbitrating with ENEO; Yagoua Rice Expansion and Modernisation Company, SEMRY, and MEADEN on the optimal use of water resources between electricity production, the navigability of the River Benue and irrigation for rice farming;

Ensure optimum environmental management of the project. Firstly, through the prior identification of disposal sites on the basis of sediment quality. Secondly through the processing of the said sediments by proposing operating methods that will ensure the economic and financial profitability of all the project sites. 

The environmental management of these projects will also have to take into account the issues of settling populations and their training so that they can seize the opportunities offered by the projects implemented.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3206 of Thursday August 22, 2024