MINAT boss divulges Biya’s roadmap to give Yaounde facelift.

The plan was unveiled during a briefing in Yaounde Wednesday. The meeting brought together administrative and municipal stakeholders responsible for the management of the capital city.

Among them were; the Governor of the Centre Region, Naseri Paul Bea; the Senior Divisional Officer of Mfoundi, Yaounde City Mayor, the seven Divisional Officers of Mfoundi Division, the seven Mayors of Councils in Mfoundi Division among others.

Atanga Nji said interest is principally on addressing public hygiene across Yaounde. He announced that within a period of seventy-two hours, the Ministry of Territorial Administration will give councils sanitation equipment to boost grassroots cleaning efforts. 

Each council, he said, will receive 100 wheelbarrows, 100 shovels, 100 bundles of brooms and 100 rakes, bringing the total to 700 units of each item.

One month clean-up campaign

Minister Atanga Nji revealed that throughout the month of February 2026, all visible trash bins located along major roads in Yaounde must be removed. 

According to him, the presence of overflowing bins along main streets has contributed to the unsightly and unhealthy state of Yaounde.

The minister recalled that administrative authorities across the country had earlier been instructed to supervise clean-city campaigns. 

Atanga Nji lamented that the dumping of waste almost everywhere in major cities has continued unabated. 

He noted that the Head of State, the Prime Minister, diplomats residing in Cameroon and ordinary citizens have all observed with concern the alarming sanitation situation.

“This situation is not normal,” the minister stated, pointing out that Yaounde, as the capital city and seat of institutions, and Douala, as the economic capital, should project a positive image of the country. 

While acknowledging that household waste collection falls under the competence of designated services, he called for collective effort to address the situation.

He stressed that foreigners and observers may not understand the intricacies of the country’s administrative organisation. Atanga Nji opined that when towns are dirty, it reflects collective failure. 

“It is a collective responsibility and a collective shame,” he said, adding that debates over who should have done what are no longer meaningful.

Decries inappropriate disposal of waste

He was blunt that despite the commendable efforts of municipal authorities, Yaounde is not clean. 

He decried the disgraceful images of household waste dumped by roadsides, junctions and public spaces, which tarnish the image of the capital.

He cited a two-kilometre stretch from the Our Lady of Victory Cathedral to Montée Anne Rouge, passing through areas such as Nlongkak Junction and Bastos as telling of how terrible the situation is.

Minister Atanga Nji tasked administrative authorities with the full support of mayor and other council officials as well as waste collection companies, to join in the nationwide clean-cities campaign.

He revealed that the Head of State had recently granted a special allocation to each council in Yaounde to ensure sustained cleanliness, noting that work had already begun.

In addition, Atanga Nji noted that each Sub-divisional council in Mfoundi Division has been provided with equipment, including trucks and light machinery, to facilitate waste collection.

The Yaounde City Mayor, he said, has already made special allocations to Sub-divisional councils specifically for the “Yaounde Clean City” campaign. 

Under the supervision of the SDO and DOs, mayors, the MINAT boss noted, are now required to identify and, where necessary, develop designated dumping sites that do not obstruct traffic. 

He noted that household waste collection will henceforth take place between midnight and 6a.m. in order to prevent smells and unsanitary conditions witnessed during the day.

Appeals to population 

He called on the population to play its role in the management of waste. Residents, he said, will be required to walk between 100 and 700 metres to dispose of their waste at officially designated sites.

“Dumping of refuse is prohibited. Defaulters shall be prosecuted,” he warned. Former dumping sites, he stated, will be relocated.

The MINAT boss insisted that despite limited resources, maintaining clean cities remains achievable. He announced that SDOs and DOs will conduct weekly field inspections to ensure strict compliance.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3681 of Thursday January 22, 2026