allAfrica.com: Cameroon: From Dream to Reality (Page 1 of 1)

Ouf! What a sigh of relieve! The infrastructure wilderness which Cameroon has been traversing will soon be a thing of the past. The country will have its fair share of ultra modern sports facilities.

This has been the wish of all Cameroonians. And yesterday, the dream became reality. The first giant stride in building adequate world class infrastructure through out the country was concretised. The government went into agreement with a Chinese company, the China National Machinery Equipment and Corp (CMEC) for the construction of stadiums and other sports facilities in some major towns of the country. The project spans across ten years and will see the construction of omnisports stadiums, sports palaces, training grounds, Olympic standard swimming pools in virtually all the provincial capitals.

The first phase of the project, which runs from now to 2011, would develop sports facilities in four towns. The most prominent structures to be built within this phase include: an omnisport stadium with 60,000 seats in Olembe, outskirts of Yaounde; an Olympic swimming pool, an omnisport stadium with 30,000 seats and a sports palace with 3,000 seats in Douala; and an omnisport stadium with 15 to 20 thousand seats and a sports complex with 2,000 seats in Bafoussam and Limbe. And knowing fully well the dexterity and meticulous approach of the Chinese in matters of construction, there is every reason for Cameroonians to be jubilant.

A look at the report card of the Chinese in Cameroon indicates that they have never failed the country. On the contrary, they have a lot to show in terms of infrastructure. The Yaounde Conference Centre, the Lagdo Dam, the Ngousso Gynaecological and Obstetric hospital and the Warda Sports Complex in Yaounde which is in its finishing phase.

The present move to rupture with the disgrace of inadequate sports infrastructure will definitely put an end to the inconsistency that hitherto characterised our sports. For, it is inconceivable that despite Cameroon's overwhelming victories in sports and football in particular at the international scene, the country has virtually nothing to show in terms of infrastructure. As of now, Cameroon cannot boost of a football stadium of international standard. The existing sports infrastructure are in deplorable states. The Yaounde Omnisport stadium, constructed in 1972 to host the African Cup of Nations, has depreciated tremendously as a result of age and poor maintenance. It no longer meets international norms in communication, security, health, etc. The Douala reunification stadium and the Garoua Rhoumji Adja stadium are also in the same sorry state. Understandably why slangs such as: "Sports have given a lot to Cameroon, but Cameroon has given very little to sports" or "money from sports is never used for sports" have been used over and over to decry Cameroon's sports infrastructure paradox.

We can smile now. And broadly too. In the next couple of years, our professional athletes would no longer need to travel abroad to train for events. Our children will no longer play on streets for lack of a play ground. When our local athletes travel abroad, they would not spend time admiring sports infrastructure rather than concentrate. Our National Division I Championship will not be played on horrible pitches. Each province, and even division, would have a play ground worthy of the name. Jobs will be created as people will be needed to manage the structures.

And above everything else, Cameroon can dream of organising international events in the likes of the African Cup of Nations in football, the All African Games, the African Athletics Championship, etc. The hosting of events will help to boost our honour and cement our supremacy in African sports. As the Prime Minister, Head of Government Ephraim Inoni puts it himself yesterday as he presided over the signing ceremony: "the project seeks to give Cameroon modern sports infrastructure which will enable the country to host international sports competitions".

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