Decent Housing : Do The Prerequisites

C ameroon is currently experiencing a housing deficit of 2.5 million units according to statistics from the UN Habitat. This disturbing figure is a stark reality as urbanisation is rapidly growing. An estimated 53 per cent of the country’s population is said to be living in urban centres and the urban population rate is growing at 3.5 per cent per year. By extrapolation, the population living in urban centres is expected to reach 73 per cent by 2050. Paradoxically, the urban population growth and the massive rural exodus are not propor­ tionate to the housing demand especially decent housing. Statistics further indicate that about 60 per cent of urban dwellers in Cameroon are living in informal settlements. In major cities like Yaounde, Douala, Ba­ menda, Bafoussam, among others, it is ubiquitous to find shantytowns in many neighbourhoods as inhabitants are battling to get a shelter over their heads. This is the sad reality in Cameroon as far as housing is concerned but all hopes are not lost as government and partners are making considerable efforts to improve access to decent housing. Though the response provided by the government to solve the housing equation through the construction of low-cost housing units in major cities and regional capitals seem insufficient considering the existing challenges, the National Development Strategy 2020- 2030 still gives hopes for improvement on access to housing and strengthening urban planning. This explains why the powers that be used the opportunity of the recent visit to Cameroon of the Executive Director of the UN-Habitat, Anaclaudia Rossbach to launch the Ca­ meroon National Plan of Action for Smart Cities.” The Smart Cities initiative is aimed at integrating technology in developing resilient and sustainable cities that will enhance economic prosperity. However, pundits describe this initiative as putting the cart before the horse given that the housing situation in the cities still leaves much to be desired. Cities cannot be smart when the bulk of the population live in slums. As the government embarks on modernizing the housing and urbanisation policy, it must consider tackling certain prerequisites to achieve the desired results. Improving access to decent housing does not just happen in the blues. It also requires critical planning and measures taken to improve on it. The government and other stakeholders must do the needful fundamentals first in order to reduce the sprou­ ting of shantytowns in the cities. As the visiting UN-Habitat official remarked, though Cameroon has made some progress in the domain of housing, there is the urgent need for reforms. One of the areas that badly needs reform is the land tenure system. Land availability is one of the key factors for the development of decent housing. In Cameroon, the land tenure system is governed by an obsolete 1974 land laws which many believe impedes the developing of decent housing. Land reform will pave the way for a strong housing policy and finance system. Access to land is still very costly to an average Cameroonian citizen. Even when the land is secured, bottlenecks surrounding the acquisition of land tittle are often dis­ couraging to investors. Cameroon therefore needs to unlock the potential of land by improving on its mana­ gement. Also, constructing decent housing units is not just cheap talk. It entails mobilizing huge financial re­ sources which the average Cameroonian cannot afford. This is where the government comes in to mobilize long term financing and mortgages in order to turn the tides. Creating an appropriate financial mechanism will turn housing needs to effective supply. In a nutshell, improving greater access to land and finance will change the narrative of the 2.5 million housing unit deficit in the country as investors will seize the opportunity to capitalise on the market needs. The private sector is also expected to play a crucial role in reversing the critical housing deficit. Though in some countries the government takes control of the housing sector, th...