BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI and Ikome Christie-Noela
Construction work at the site to host the University of Buea Teaching and Referral Hospital is unfolding at a snail pace. Since the start of work at the site on May 2, 2017, the rate of execution of the project stands at five percent nine months after.
It was to give a tonic push to the work that Andre Mama Fouda, Minister of Public Health visited the project site on Monday, February 5, 2018.
The about FCFA 15 billion project was planned to be executed within 18 months. The government intends it to serve as a University of Buea Teaching Hospital as well as to serve the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
To hasten the work, Andre Mama Fouda, Minister of Public Health, visited the worksite at the Molyko New Layout-Buea. He called on the contractors to deliver the project within the prescribed timelines. The construction officials say the project is dragging with such setbacks as lack of water and electricity supplies.
As a Civil Engineer himself, Minister Fouda instructed the construction company to add personnel, engage a non-stop working scheme and drill a bore-hole for sufficient water supply. The Minister explained that the Buea Referral Hospital will be useful during the up-coming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Cameroon and as such, no excuses will be tolerated.
Though construction has retarded, the enterprise has promised to mobilise more intensively and to employ 250 workers to double their staff-strength and improve on work pace.
Hear Minister Mama Fouda: “I have seen a well organised worksite. This Hospital will be a precious health tool to make the South West Region proud. It will also be the future of health training in the Region and the Country. So, I urge the youth who would come to work here to be allowed enough serenity.”
The urgent triennial plan including Buea University Teaching Hospital project is costing the State of Cameroon some CFA 150 Billion as instructed by President Paul Biya.
From that amount, FCFA 30 billion will go to construct two General hospitals, while FCFA 120 Billion will be channelled to realise eight Hospital centres in eight Regions of Cameroon. This gives an average of 15 Billion per project.
Minister Mama Fouda was accompanied to Buea by His majesty Alim Garga Hayatou, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Public Health in charge of Epidemics and Pandemics.