By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
The 2017 National Road Maintenance Programme has kicked off on a warning note as Public Works Minister, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi has threatened contractors with sanction if they fail to execute all the terms in their contracts. Launching the programme last December 19 during a video conference he coordinated in Yaoundé with his Regional Delegates in the presence of Public Works Secretary of State in charge of Roads, Louis Max Ayina Ohandja, Minister Nganou Djoumessi used the occasion to notify all those who won contracts in 2016, evaluate their performance, get their difficulties in order to give fresh orientation for proper execution of the 2017 road maintenance programme.
The Minister had this message for his contractors and collaborators “to contractors, I want them to know that everybody who is awarded a contract is obliged to execute the terms agreed in the contract in order to produce the expected results. If they do this, they will of course receive our full support but if not we will not hesitate to sanction them. To my collaborators, I want them to perform their duties with abnegation in conformity with the rules and regulations of our country. We have empowered our Regional Delegates for instance to take initiatives and report to us because as a Minister, I cannot be in Yaoundé and in the region at the same time.”
Major highlight of the video conference was the decision of Minister Nganou Djoumessi to withdraw contracts from some companies “whose performance is below standard especially those stationed on Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi, Dschang-Fontem-Bakebe road etc. Due to unsatisfactory results noticed, we decided to cancel their contracts and give them to committed companies which have the financial means, good human resources, and up-to-date equipment capable of producing the expected result. We will not give room to any company producing mediocre result on our road network because there is no time to waste.”
In a chat with reporters, Public Works Minister, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi explained that “We registered some improvement as far as our road network in the country is concern in 2016. You can bear witness with us that the level of service on the Yaounde-Douala-Bekono-Idenau has been improved. The same exercise is being done on the tarred Bekoko-Loum-Pont du Nkam-Bandjoun, Foumban-Foumbot-Bafoussam, Mbalmayo-Sangmelima, Ngaoundere-Garoua is concerned. We will continue with some new sections of the road prepared in 2016 for reconstruction to start in 2017 such as the Babadjou-Bamenda stretch by Sogea Satom or for rehabilitation such as the Mbalmayo-Ebolowa-Yoko road etc.”