The 36 presses worth FCFA 144 million are meant to enable beneficiary councils create employment and wealth. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, MINATD in collaboration with the Local Materials Promotion Authority, MIPROMALO last Friday March 4 in Yaounde, handed over 36 manual compressed earth block-production presses worth more than FCFA 144 million to 36 councils from all the regions of the country.

This is to enable them generate revenue, create employment and improve their quality of housing. Speaking at the occasion that held at the MIPROMALO Yaounde headquarters, Nsibeuwela Joseph, Inspector Number One in charge of Local Authorities who stood in for the minister, noted that the current policy to devolve power and resources to local government demands that they be assisted to properly manage these resources.

He said the need for such technical backstopping was urgent as both appointed and elected local government officials were now confronted with new roles and responsibilities which were not always easy to manage. Thus, the purpose of the Sustainable Territorial Management for Development Programme, PGT2D under which the presses were acquired to enable local administrative authorities and councils cope with their new roles. The assistance consists of a manual compressed block-production press for each of the selected 36 councils and an initial five-day training for all two representatives of beneficiary councils in the use of the presses. While expressing hope that the coming of the presses would help create employment and generate income for the councils, Nsibeuwela Joseph promised government would ensure that all councils in the country acquire the presses. In order to ensure good maintenance of the presses, he announced that a contract had been signed with MIPROMALO to oversee their use as well as train council staff in their management.

Speaking at the end of the ceremony, MIPROMALO’s Director, Mrs. Uphie Chinje Melo said the partnership with MINATD was to improve the quality of bricks used in construction so that the houses last much longer. The experience in the northern regions, she said, shows that after every two rainy seasons, the people have to reconstruct their homes because locally made bricks do not last long. “But if you use compressed earth blocks produced the right way, your house will last longer,” she said. It was revealed that each of the imported presses costs between FCFA 4 and FCFA 5 million.