By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
A 16-storied edifice in the shape of a mobile phone will within 40 months be erected opposite the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel as Head Office of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board better known by its French acronym as ART. The revelation was made last December 19 during the official laying of the foundation stone for the construction of ART’s Head Office chaired by Posts and Telecommunications Minister, Minette Libom Li Likeng in the presence of other members of Government such as State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure Minister, Jacqueline Koung Abessike, Urban Development and Housing Minister, Jean Claude Mbwentchou, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Public Contracts, Abba Sadou, Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and ART’s Board Chair, Hessana Mahamat.
Speaking at the occasion, Minister Libom Li Likeng expressed satisfaction over the “magnificent step accomplished in the amelioration of the working conditions of staffs of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board.”
The P&T Minister stressed on the fact that “coming on the heels of the organization of the first ever Open Door Days for telecommunications consumers, the placing of the Head Office of ART in the heart of the administrative set up in Yaoundé translates ART’s wish to remain closer to telecommunications users.” She urged the Director General of ART, Jean Louis Beh Mengue and his entire staff to remain committed to their challenging mission of regulating the country’s telecommunications sector.
Minister Libom Li Likeng saluted the management of ART for launching at the same time vast construction work of its regional delegations in the Littoral and in the North in Garoua expected to be inaugurated by January 2017.
The construction will be supported by the 2016 budget of the project owner, ART evaluated at close to FCFA 18 billion.
The Director General of ART, Jean Louis Beh Mengue could be seen bubbling with joy to have finally seen come true, the official laying of the foundation stone for the long awaited Head Office of ART given that he had seen two calls for tender turned down for diverse reasons.
Things changed for the better last August 5 with the signing of the authorization for work to begin by Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Public Contracts, Abba Sadou after he awarded the contract to 74 years experienced Tonia/Machia Group.
Placed under the technical supervision of the Ministry of Telecommunications and under financial supervision of the Ministry of Finances, Cameroon’s Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB) was instituted by the Law of 2010/013 of 21 December 2010 regulating electronic communications in Cameroon. It is a public administrative institution with a legal personality and financial autonomy, whose organization and functioning are defined by the provisions of Decree No2012/203 of 20 April 2012 defining the organization and the functioning of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB).
It ensures on account of the State, the regulation, control and follow-up of the activities of operators in the sector of Telecommunications and Communications Information Technologies. It equally ensures the respect of the principle of equal treatment of users in all electronic communications companies.