Douala-Bangui Corridor: Ensuring Thorough Rehabilitation!

Recent disclosure from the World Bank that fresh financial resources, amounting to 1.12 billion US dollars (about FCFA 641.2 billion) has been approved for the modernisation of the Douala-Bangui corridor linking Cameroon and the Central African Republic has sent many dreaming of better days ahead. More so as specifications are made on what the money will be used for: The rehabilitation of priority infrastructure, road safety and maintenance reforms in Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR), primarily along the 1,400 km Douala-Bangui corridor. A press release announcing the good news said the funds will be released under “a multi-phase, programme-based approach.” In other words, the money will be disbursed gradually as the required work evolves on the field. Results-based approach indeed! World Bank information indicates that the money falls within the Douala-Bangui Economic Corridor Project which will be executed by the two neighbouring countries, each in its own side. There is notably an envisaged climate- resilient upgrading of the Edea-Yaounde in Cameroon and Baoro-Bossemtele in Central African Republic as well as treating critical spots on the Ayos-Bertoua-Garoua Boulai and Bangui-Bossemptele sections to preserve traffic continuity, among others. This explains why further information from the funding agency underlines that for Phase 1, FCFA 233 billion from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and FCFA 10.3 billion from the International Development Association will be allocated to Cameroon; FCFA 51.5 billion to the Central African Republic and roughly 5.7 billion, from the IDA’s Global and Regional Opportunities window to CEMAC. The information is highly welcomed looking at the strategic importance of the corridor to both the two CEMAC countries and the entire sub-region as a whole. The joy of the users and population is further heightened by the announcement that the World Bank investments will enable the rehabilitation of priority road sections to meet climate resilience standards, the establishment of weighing stations, the development of logistics centres and feeder roads, the strengthening of value chains, and the promotion of trade facilitation and structural reforms. It is stated that this is part of a broader project that combines infrastructure rehabilitation, logistical and policy reforms. All initiatives aimed at opening up economic opportunities of the countries and sub-region as well as attracting private investors. More so as it tackles the vexing but raging problem of deteriorating infrastructure, high transport costs, road safety and persistent barriers such as excessive checkpoints and informal payments. These have a direct bearing in the lives of the people and the economic health of the countries and sub-region. As such, improving the corridor’s functioning, reducing vehicle operating costs, increasing transport efficiency so as to boost national and sub-regional socio-economic growth should be the guiding principle of the two governments as they embark on executing the projects for which the money has been made available. To say the least, room shouldn’t be given to any form of amateurism, whatsoever, in the entire project execution chain. In fact, vote holders must bear in mind that the over FCFA 641 billion is not a gift from the World Bank that should be shared and eaten among friends and families. Far from being a national or sub-regional cake! It is a loan that has a maturity and refund periods. The corridor is very busy and can fetch enough money to pay back the loan as well as develop the economies of the countries concerned. What guarantees this highly expected setup is the proper execution of the projects. This is certainly where much attention has to be paid by all and sundry. The bad practices that have regrettably become commonplace in the execution of public contracts in the country must be made to die. Vote holders colluding with either incompetent or ill-equipped contractors to hand them projects they cannot efficiently execute or awarding a contract and taking back a good chunk of the funds in the...