Yaounde: MINDEF boss inspects works on military footwear production factory.

The member of government visited the facility in Yaounde Thursday. He was accompanied by the Secretary of State in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Yves Galax Etoga, and other top brass of the military. 

The military footwear production factory is situated within the premises of the Joint Services Technical Training Centre, better known as CFTA, at the Ekounou neighbourhood in Yaounde. 

It is located between the mortuary and the CFTA football stadium, with a natural elevation difference of 3.5 metres and situated 10 metres from the ultramodern army and gendarmerie central tailoring workshop. 

According to Elie-Martial Chokouaha, the Project Manager of Visa Longchamp, the company in charge of executing the project, the building area of the military footwear production factory is about 4,850 m² and the built-up area approximately 1,730 m². 

In his presentation to the minister and his delegation, Chokouaha explained that the floor plan comprises an entrance hall of 54m², a showroom of 34m², three offices, two of which have toilets of 51m², and a toilet block of 20m². 

The workshop also comprises a staff changing room, a large production area, an office reserved for supervising the works, two toilet blocks for men and women 40m²and a store of 25m². 

Chokouaha said a maintenance factory of 22m², two large stores of 215m² each and an accounts office of 15m² make up part of the building. 

The official also detailed that the metal structure will be covered with 30/10th-inch-thick galvanised steel sheets, with partitions made of 15cm concrete blocks and concrete

The floor, he also mentioned, will be tiled in the offices, toilets and showroom. It was also said that the outdoor courtyard will be paved with concrete blocks and feature concrete drainage channels to direct water towards the outlet. 

At the end of the presentation, Minister Beti Assomo toured the facility to assess the progress first hand. He requested clarifications from the project manager, shared remarks and asked about the project’s delivery schedule. 

Chokouaha told the minister that the work is scheduled to be completed in five months. The current execution rate of the workshop, we gathered, stands at 60%. 

The construction of the military footwear production factory which is currently under construction will add to the ultramodern army and gendarmerie central tailoring factory for the production of Made in Cameroon military wears. 

The minister also recently signed three separate strategic agreements with some Cameroonian companies for the production of locally manufactured military hardware. 

This includes the production of protective helmets and bulletproof vests, and construction of a factory to manufacture mechanical parts and light tactical vehicles. 

The goal of the initiatives, it should be recalled, is to reduce the over dependence on foreign partners and to make the forces autonomous in meeting the logistical needs generated by current and future security challenges.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3801 of Friday May 29, 2026