Cameroon: Afcon 2019 - Douala Presents Potentials

A CAF inspection team was received yesterday by the top brass of the economic capital and acclaimed by the population.

After Yaounde, Garoua and Bafoussam, the CAF inspectors were treated to a hectic welcome in the economic capital, Douala yesterday by the local organizing committee headed by the Governor of the Littoral. The team accompanied by the Secretary General of the sports ministry and some officials of the national organizing committee, was received by the top brass of the Littoral Region including the administrative, political and traditional authorities as well some traditional dance groups. The team barely had time to check into their hotel before beginning effective work first by holding a short working session with the local organising committee at the premises of the Douala city council office. After the meeting the team was split into two with one group in charge of inspecting the sports infrastructure whereas the other looked into the hotel facilities. The sport infrastructure team visited the Japoma main stadium and its two annex stadiums where they had a one hour 40 minutes working session with the official of Yenigun, the company in charge of the construction of the complex. After the working session, the nine-man team led by head of competitions at CAF, Egyptian-born, Ismael Wally went round the construction site to assess not only the quality of the work but also the level of execution of the project. From the Japoma stadium the CAF motorcade drove directly to the Mbappe Lepe stadium where construction work had just begun. The old tribunes have been scrapped down and the field leveled and it is just left for the construction work proper which is supposed to last eight months, to begin. As the CAF delegation criss-crossed the Douala metropolis, it attracted attention from the public who stood by the road side around major junctions just to have a view. Others even attempted to shoot pictures with their mobile phones. Though not present, reliable information reaching us from the team that visited hotels say the CAF inspectors were interested in aspects such as the quality of the rooms, availability of high speed internet, a fitness centre, conference rooms, restoration capacities as well as security. The hotels visited include Sawa, La Falaise and Star Land hotels. There will be a cultural evening at the Salle des fêtes, Akwa, in honour of the CAF officials. Today, the team will be inspecting Akwa Palace and Pullman hotels in terms of hotel facilities where the team inspecting the infrastructure will be visiting the Omnisport stadium in Bepanda and Mojas stadium in Bonamoussadi which are going to serve as training fields. Tomorrow the CAF caravan will continue its inspection visit to the South West to visit the facilities in Buea and Limbe.

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