The outlook of our major urban agglomerations has changed radically within the New Deal period. Douala and Yaounde are good examples

The Challenges

A bird’s eye view of the housing situation leaves the impression of a neglected important social sector as frightfully uncomfortable and difficult-to-access neighbourhoods continue to exist in our main towns and cities. The effectiveness of the New Deal policies of President Paul Biya in the area of housing cannot be fully grasped if the immensity of the task is not given full consideration.

At the time of independence and self-rule, what are today the major cities of our country were merely huge human agglomerations which gave less than ordinary attention to what it takes for a locality to be qualified as an urban centre. For the sake of securing a paid job or escaping from instability – as was the case in many areas of the West and Littoral regions of the country - may citizens rushed into any localities that provided even the most basic of amenities such as electricity, health units, security cover etc…

There was never ever any real concern for urban planning, let alone the quality of available housing units. This is what probably explains the fact that housing remains one of the most difficult challenges President Biya’s New Deal government has had to face so far.

Gains

Before delving into the quality of housing per se, the government has lately invested very heavily in the provision of urban facilities among which roads, meant to ease movement within specific urban agglomerations, have been given priority.

This policy has greatly transformed the main cities of Douala and Yaounde, even beyond. Old residents of Yaounde who have been out of town and who come visiting these days will notice a veritable revolution. Just as in Douala, new roads have been or are in the process of being opened up. In Yaounde, the Nlongkak Square project is ongoing. Visitors coming to Yaounde from 2010 will hardly recognise the Nlongkak neighbourhood with the FCFA 10 Billion-plus ultra-modern Square. The southern parts of the city are also being made more accessible with the expanding of the Officers Mess - Trois Statues road. In the national capital alone, some 25 kilometres of new roads have just recently been built to ease the flow of traffic.

In Douala, urban development is also on the fast lane with the spectacular opening up of entrance boulevards into the city from the hinterland. The entrance from Yaounde is completed while work on the western entrance (Bonabéri) is on. The Douche area in the city’s central district, knowN for its squalor and crime, has been transformed into a tourist’s paradise. In Nkongsamba, four kilometres of urban roads are under construction. In Ngaoundere, work has just asked on 11 kilometres of urban roads. In Bamenda, a new entrance boulevard has been built to avoid the accident-prone station hill. In Garoua, some FCFA 2 Billion is handy to improve the city’s road network. On a larger scale, there is a whopping FCFA 40 Billion available money to help a number of urban centres get out of their doldrums with particular emphasis on opening up roads into difficult and inaccessible wards in the various towns. Maroua and Mbalmayo are warming up to be among the first beneficiaries.

The Way Ahead

Government will have to pay greater attention to private intiatives.

With regard to housing the government has recent passed legislation in parliament to make it easier for estate developers and housing agents to work for the promotion of quantity and quality housing.

This landmark legislation will certainly remove the logjams which have prevented private initiatives from contributing to the improvement of housing.

The Cameroon Housing Corporation, SIC, is about to start the construction of some 1000 units in Yaounde and Douala. Government has also just finalised an agreement by which some other 1500 housing units will be constructed in Douala, Yaounde, Limbe, Bamenda, Bafoussam and Sangmelima with assistance from China.

The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing has a standby allocation of FCFA 1 Billion to help Cameroonian private initiatives in estate development. The money is lodged at the Autonomous Sinking Fund (Caisse Autonome d’Amortissement) and anybody with a good housing project can go there for assistance.

The housing sector may be one of the New Deal’s most challenging work sites, but it will require the active participation of private initiatives to squarely address the issue of decent housing. For one thing, good housing is like personal hygiene or dressing. It is all about one’s personal attitude.