Incisive Journalism in Cameroon: The Best of ��Cameroon Report�� (1978 � 1986)

19. Cameroon Report 31/3/1984: Biya on Housing and Road Construction

69 19 Cameroon Report 31/3/1984: Biya on Housing and Road Construction Introduction: Last Friday’s cabinet meeting which focused on the housing and road construction issues in the country came up with certain pertinent observations indicating that the Head of State is not only quite conversant with the issues, but refuses to be blindfolded by the usual All-correct, No-problem progress reports presented by government officials. SAM-NUVALA FONKEM has more on the issue: Commenting on reports presented on the low-cost housing programme, the Head of State frowned at delays in the execution of housing projects, a glaring practice already observed by the man-in-the-street. The President gave strict instructions to the Housing Ministry to study ways of diversifying and liberalising the real estate sector, a solution which Cameroon Report has gone a long way in the past years to stress as the most sensible way of breaking the ancient monopoly of the Housing Corporation whose housing units are anything but low-cost, and whose lethargy and inability to meet increasing demands are well-known. In recommending the diversification and opening of the real estate sector to both indigenous and foreign entrepreneurs, we would want to suggest that preference be given to nationals. The Head of State also recommended the reduction of the cost of housing construction and one would imagine, of 70 course, that something must be done about the cost of land and building materials. We would like to suggest a reduction, if not a freeze on the prices of these items. President BIYA also had some very good news for local construction firms, such as the dismantling of administrative bottlenecks in the payment of bills to entrepreneurs and softening conditions and guarantees involved in the award of public contracts. Although it was not always said, delays in construction projects are not only due to incompetent and delinquent construction firms, but also complications and delays in the payment of bills by the administrations. It is not very clear how the President intends to bring down road construction costs, but the decision to give the Military Engineering Corps, a greater role in the programme can be said to be in the right direction and would give the corps a more dynamic participation in national development. A complementary measure would be to pay more attention to the malpractice of over-invoicing by firms and entrepreneurs who would be satisfied with nothing less than a 300 % profit margin. This also leads to the question of kickbacks and this is where we expect the anti-corruption programme to become effectively operational. In all, the cabinet debates on the construction issue clearly echoed public disenchantment with weaknesses in that sector and also came up with bold and unprecedented recommendations which one supposes would be followed to the letter by the administration. Since the Head of State cannot be everywhere at every time to supervise every banal detail of every government project, and since he cannot be expected to abandon his own job and do the job of other government officials on the government pay role, we would recommend that failure to 71 execute government programmes and directives, particularly those that effect the welfare of the masses, should be met with severe disciplinary measures. Sam- Nuvala Fonkem 72 ...