This was to prepare them for the imminent tarring of the Kumba-Mamfe Road.
Some local administrative authorizes from Meme, Fako and Manyu, Divisions in the South West Region have been trained on how to integrate the labour-intensive approach in economic and local development in their areas, especially in the area of road maintenance. They gained their skills during a 4-day seminar in Kumba in Meme Division last weekend.
The workshop, which was organised by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Decent Work Technical Support Team for Central Africa and Country Office for Cameroon, took place on the theme, “Integration of Labour-intensive Approach in the Economic and Local Development: The case of road maintenance.” It had as objectives to raise awareness and develop within local government, integration capabilities of HIMO techniques and approaches to resolving the problems of post-rehabilitation road maintenance. It was also to foster capacity-building and management of road maintenance contracts through planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of labour-intensive road maintenance.
The over 30 participants for the four days ,were drilled on; the overview of the Kumba–Mamfe road project, labour-intensive approach and techniques as means of rehabilitation and maintenance of rural roads, tools and integration of employment mechanism in the planning-programming, budgeting, monitoring evaluation system, administration and contract management, the case of labour-based road maintenance. It was emphasised that understanding issues of general contract management, especially on HIMO road contracts will increase knowledge on the implementation processes and tools associated with the administration and management of contracts.
According to Zanga Maturin of the African Development Bank, AfDB, the objective of the Kumba-Mamfe road project, is to contribute to economic growth by improving the competitiveness of Douala Seaport by connecting Cameroon to Nigeria through roads, improve the living conditions of the people of Southwest Region in particular and Cameroon at large, and also to connect Southwest and Northwest Regions.
