By Doh James Sonkey
The Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo last July 23, 2024 visited the construction site of the Pan-African University Rectorate at the Nkolmefou in the Mefou and Afamba Division of the Centre region. The contract was awarded since 2019 and the building is yet to be completed as the deadline of May 2025 is fast approaching. After using one hour to visit the building made up of one underground floor and five stores, the Minister of State frowned at the slow nature of the work. Prof Fame Ndongo was visibly unhappy when he entered to chair the meeting with the contractor only to learn that the contractor is absent due to ill-health, The SUN gathered. The meeting didn’t last up to three (3) minutes.
Speaking as he visited the construction site, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo frowned at the pace at which the works are going on since the launch of the envisioned futuristic facility some five years ago. The Higher Education boss told the officials of the Groupement SOCACAM and Leader Services charged with the works that government’s priority is to see the construction works completed as soon as possible. The Minister also urged them to respect all the guidelines necessary to ensure that the facility comes out as an architectural master-piece that meets the satisfaction of the Cameroonian government and the African Union.
He challenged the engineers to give the building an architectural orientation that will market Cameroon as a beautiful destination not only worthy of visiting but serving as a globally standardised working station. The minister told the experts to give the building more efficient designs that will enable the users of the facility which will include officials and personnel from across the African continent, to enjoy the beauty of the area surrounding the structure.
The deadline was pushed forward last year after the group in charge of the project failed to deliver the facility during the last January 2023 deadline. Following the delay, June 2024 was outlined as the new deadline, another target which the construction group also failed to meet. The facility, upon completion, will be an underground floor with five storeys.
In a chat with reporters, the supervisor of the project, Fongang Octave explained that “work progress is at 40% but work accomplished is situated around 36.2%” The engineer blamed the delays on the several constraints the construction group has been facing linked notably to lapses registered at the level of the feasibility studies carried out before the work got under way. He also noted that the financial challenges that the construction group has been facing can be blamed for the delay as well, insisting that the setback which has now been handled, hugely affected the smooth flow of the work. Despite the setbacks, Fongang Octave said that the group remains keen on delivering the facility latest May 2025 as instructed by Prof Fame Ndongo. The supervisor also disclosed that they will pay keen attention on making adjustments on the designs as instructed by the minister to ensure the terraces of the building give users a chance to enjoy the beauty of Cameroon. “We are working on ensuring that the terraces are accessible because, like the Minister emphasised, this building is not for Cameroon alone but it is a facility that will serve the entire African continent. We are looking to deliver so that it markets Cameroon internationally”, Fongang Octave concluded.