The acquisition by Cameroon’s lone airline company, Camair Co, of three new planes has certainly left no Cameroonian indifferent. The news of the signing of an agreement to that effect, between the government, represented

by the Minister of Transport and China’s AVIC International Aero-Development Corporation, fell like an anti-malaria drip. In effect, the contrary wouldn’t have been true, considering that Cameroonian airports have for several years been really sick of desertion and needed such curative drips. The assurances of the Minister of transport, Robert Nkili, are hope rekindling. The planes, it is said, will essentially satisfy domestic needs by flying to all the national airports of the country. The new Chinese manufactured planes dubbed MA 60 with a capacity of 48 places each are said to be well adapted for Cameroonian domestic airports. Their size makes it easy for them to land and takeoff on limited space.

Pending their arrival, the first of which could touch down on Cameroonian territory in September, the opportunity has come for Cameroon to revisit its almost abandoned airports and rehabilitate them to ensure fluidity when they resume full fledge activity. Thanks to some major national events such as the 50 years of the Cameroonian army, some of the airports have been completely recuperated and others are equally undergoing renovation.

From every indication, government is quite aware of the challenge that awaits it. As rightly put by Minister Nkili, “we have no choice but to modernise our infrastructure.” The determination to place air transport at the disposal of all Cameroonians irrespective of their location ought not to be the duty of government alone. The question one would ask is what contribution should the public make to enhance this important economic sector? As the saying goes, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. In other words, the ordinary Cameroonian is expected to brace up to effectively use this means of transport.

When the defunct CAMAIR collapsed and effectually got liquidated, there was mourning in all Cameroonian homes. Even those who did not travel by air within or out of the country cried. The resurgence of a new company gave new hope even though doubting Thomases saw its functioning short-lived. That does not seem to be true considering the waves of planes the company has been acquiring and the series of innovations of its infrastructure. These changes occurring in the air transport sector are certainly moving along with the general wave of changes that have been occurring in the country and incidentally marching with the new vision of making Cameroon an emerging country by 2035.

The new dispensation equally calls for change of perception. Yesterday, many thought air transport was a thing of the richer class. This may only be true if one looks at the rates to pay in order to get into the plane; but the reverse is true if one evaluates the benefit that may accrue from using this means of transport. That said, it remains clear that air transport is an important element of development which has not only catapulted many countries to the limelight, but has equally raised their image in the face of the world.