The Head of State last Saturday laid the foundation stone for the three-phase project whose financing has been mobilised thanks to China-Cameroon relations.

The long talked about Kribi Deep Seaport in the Ocean Division of the South Region has taken a decisive phase. President Paul Biya, accompanied by First Lady, Chantal Biya, on Saturday October 8, 2011 gave shape to the project by laying the foundation stone for the Deep Seaport and industrial complex at Mboro, some 30 km from Kribi town.

When the helicopter carrying the presidential couple touched down at Mboro at 11:30 am Saturday, the stage was already set for the historic ceremony. Welcomed on arrival by the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Louis Paul Motaze, who is also Chairman of the project's steering and follow up committee, the Head of State proceeded with military honours. The rain that fell prior to their arrival did not dampen the spirits of supporters of Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) who had turned up massively, singing and waving for what they said, "was a new dawn for us."

The Government Delegate to the Kribi City Council, Jacques Mazo, set the ball rolling for the eight-point ceremony when on behalf of the population he thanked the Head of State for "honouring us to personally preside at this ceremony." Qualifying the project as life-changing, Mr Mazo said they hold the project and others in the region in high esteem, promising the total collaboration of the population for efficiency in execution. Like the Government Delegate, the spokesperson of the elite, Amvam Zollo, Rector of the University of Ngaoundere, promised the region's unalloyed support to the Head of State and the institutions he incanets. The gifts of the population to the presidential couple, presented by elite of the locality, Jules Doret Ndongo, Secretary General at the Prime Minister's office and a traditional ceremony led by the Dean of the Batanga traditional rulers added colour to the ceremony.

The Project

In his speech, Mr Motaze said the project is divided into three phases. The first phase, on the general ports site at Mboro, which began with the laying of the foundation stone, is expected to be complete in 36 months, meaning in 2014. Thanks to Sino-Cameroon relations, government got a loan of FCFA 207.7 billion from Eximbank China and has already mobilised its counterpart funding to the tune of FCFA 36 billion to meet the entire budget of the first phase evaluated at over FCFA 240 billion. Upon completion, the main port with five to 16 metres draught will receive big vessels with a capacity close to 100,000 tonnes. This will fill the gaps of the Douala Seaport whose draught is only six to seven metres and can at best receive vessels with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes. The second and third phases of the project, Mr Motaze said, will be financed by private operators on the "Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)" system.

Concretisation of Promises

In his keynote address, the Head of State reiterated his resolve to transform the country into a vast worksite in 2012 stating that the Deep Seaport project was a concretisation of his promise. The President described the port as a major export port in the Gulf of Guinea, noting that the project will create employment, generate money and engender new infrastructure into the area. While serving as exit point for minerals mined in the country, President Paul Biya said the Deep Seaport will also be used to boost maritime transport between countries of the Central Africa Sub-region. While reiterating his resolve to fight corruption to the last of his blood so as to catapult the economy to emergence by 2035, the Head of State said all these could be done on condition that he is voted back to office. That request sent the population up, shouting for a 100 per cent vote for the Head of State. The laying of the foundation stone and a round of handshakes with invited guests during refreshment ended what many described as a memorable event. The project is being executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd.

10 Octobre 2011 National – Politique (Cameroon Tribune)