Babadjou-Bamenda Road: Construction company, BUNS, says deadline will be respected.

BUNS company, through a message relayed by the Ministry of Public Works, has said it is waiting for the dry season to intensify its work in the field.

In view of the progress of the road works, the project will be delivered on schedule, the company has said.

On the 18 km section linking Matazem to Welcome to Bamenda, in the North West Region, work is progressing.  As of 30 October 2024, 77% of the work was estimated to have been completed. 

On the ground, the work of cleaning, clearing undergrowth and laying the subgrade has been completed. 

The sub-base layer covers a length of 16.7 km/18 km, the gravel asphalt is being laid over 13.5 km/18 km, and the impregnation and asphalt concrete currently covers 5 km. The concreted ditches cover 14.4 km, and all 52 gutters in the section have been completed.

Work is also progressing on the related project for the section, namely the development of the Mile 11 - Lake Awing - Farmers Potatoes Warehouse - Catholic School Afuh - Awing Market - GHS Mewungne -Three Corners Awing communal road over a stretch of 23.5 km. 

Right-of-way clearance has been completed and earthworks have begun, along with prefabrication of the culverts, for 23 of the 26 culverts built. 

Public works ministry officials say the outlook is good for delivery of the project on schedule-that is before December 31, 2024.

In June this year, the Minister of Public Works, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, it should be recalled, had in a press release, announced that the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors had approved an additional financing package of 30 billion FCFA for the rehabilitation of the Bamenda urban crossing. 

The approved funds, according to the release, will support the rehabilitation of key urban sections, including the Amour Mezam Junction, Finance Junction, Veterinary Junction, T-Junction, Hospital Roundabout, Food Market, City Chemist Roundabout, and Veterinary Junction. 

The 6.538 km stretch will be widened from 17 meters to 30 meters. 

"This additional funding will cover the widening of the cross-section of this urban crossing from 17 to 30 meters, as expressly requested to the Head of State by the population concerned," Minister Nganou Djoumessi stated. 

The member of government had emphasised that the remaining works on the Bamenda-Babadjou road will commence before the end of 2024, fulfilling President Paul Biya's commitment to modernising the region's road infrastructure. 

"The execution of this project will decongest the city of Bamenda and enable smooth traffic flow on this section of the Yaounde Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok/Mfum-Abakaliki-Enugu corridor (438 km) which has already been paved," he added.

To ensure the project's success, the Minister said the recruitment of a contractor and a control mission to oversee the works is currently underway. 

The additional funding will also support the continuation of the Complaints Management Mechanism and Third-Party Monitoring, which are essential for maintaining dialogue with the local population and ensuring transparency throughout the project's execution.

Minister Nganou Djoumessi had also noted that significant progress has already been made on the Babadjou-Bamenda road, with the Babadjou-Matazem section (17 km) completed and ongoing works in the Matazem-Welcome to Bamenda (18 km), Welcome to Bamenda-Ecole des Champions (4.930 km), and Ecole des Champions-Amour Mezam (4.5 km) sections, all slated for completion by the end of 2024.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3277 of Friday November 01, 2024