(Business in Cameroon) – The Batchenga-Léna-Tibati road project is more than just paving a highway. Described as an “integrated project” by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Works, the initiative aims to boost local development for communities along the route.
Valued at over CFA359 billion, the project receives significant funding from the AfDB, which emphasizes its socio-economic impact. More than CFA7 billion has been allocated to rehabilitate socio-economic infrastructure, including storage facilities, health centers, classrooms, school security fences, youth centers, and women’s empowerment projects.
“We’ve built numerous socio-economic facilities along the entire route,” said Maurice Njontu, head of co-financed road projects at the Ministry of Public Works. The project has upgraded 120 kilometers of rural roads in towns along the Batchenga-Léna-Tibati route. It also paved 63 kilometers of urban roads in Ntui, Yoko, Léna, and other areas. Yoko now boasts over 14 kilometers of paved roads, while Ntui has over 8 kilometers.
Basic infrastructure has seen major improvements. Hospitals and health centers received new equipment, and schools were upgraded. Yoko’s mayor, Dieudonné Annir Tina, highlighted the construction of a fully equipped hospital in his municipality at a cost of over CFA50 million. The community also benefited from improved facilities for local radio stations and the construction of a bilingual primary school.
The project also focuses on empowering women through a CFA2 billion agreement with UN Women. The initiative, titled Promotion of Gender and Acceleration of Women’s Economic Empowerment Along the Batchenga-Ntui-Yoko-Léna Road, has provided women with training in entrepreneurship, study tours, support for income-generating activities, and access to land ownership.
In Yoko, 30 land titles have already been issued to women, including 20 individual titles. Another 25 titles are set to be distributed soon. “We’ve prioritized gender-focused infrastructure like processing plants,” said Maurice Njontu. “The necessary equipment is being delivered, and women have been trained for these activities. We encourage them to form cooperatives and working groups.”
The Batchenga-Léna-Tibati project is part of Cameroon’s National Road 15 corridor, which connects Douala to the northern regions, as well as Chad and the Central African Republic. The overall goal is to pave 597 kilometers between Batchenga and Ngaoundéré.
The first phase involves developing 412 kilometers between Batchenga in the Center region and Tibati in the Adamawa region. This phase alone costs CFA359 billion, with CFA101 billion financed by the AfDB.
