The terms of the agreement between the government and the consortium were clear; the latter will carry out feasibility studies after which it will produce a master plan for the construction of new railway lines in the country. The project has been conceived within the framework of the ten-year development plan contained in the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper, according to Paul Tasong, the permanent Secretary in MINEPAT. From every indication the project is moving accordingly.
Whereas the Railway Master Plan sets out to enhance economic activities in the country, notably those in the mining and industrial sectors, it is equally expected to regulate and put order in all the programmed rail network development projects in the country. In effect, major mining projects such as the Mballam Iron Ore in the east and the Ngaoundal and Minim Martap Bauxite development project in the Adamawa Region have already integrated into their projects, the component concerned with the construction of rail lines to the coast to facilitate the transportation of in-puts and out puts to and from the hinterlands. Energy projects such as the Lom Panga Hydroelectric Reservoir in the east and the Memve’ele Hydroelectric Project in the south will equally require a transport system commensurate to the transportation of heavy materials.
Even though the Permanent Secretary says it is a long term project, it has come of age. Considering its strategic position in the Central African sub region, it is highly imperative for the country to develop a modern and sophisticated transport system worthy of facilitating the transportation of goods and people within and across the territory to its neighbours. Two countries; Chad and the Central African Republic highly depend on Cameroon to get their goods from the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, the system has so far remained very rudimentary.
