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Barrage de Memve'ele

“This is Just the Beginning” (Speech)

Following is the speech of the Head of state at the Foundation stone laying ceremony in Nyabizan.


“ The President of the National Assembly,

The Prime Minister, Head of Government,

Members of Government,

Your Excellencies, Heads of Diplomatic Missions,

Representatives of international organizations,

The Governor of the South Region,

The Senior Divisional Officer of the Vallée du Ntem,

The Divisional Officer of Ma’an Sub-Division,

The Mayor of Ma’an Council,

Honourable Members of the National Assembly,

Political, Traditional and Religious Authorities,

The elite and population of the South Region,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,


I would like to start by thanking the Mayor of Ma’an Council for his kind words addressed to me.

Permit me as well to express my sincere gratitude to the dynamic people of the South Region and, more specifically, those of Nyabizan, for the warm welcome accorded me upon my arrival here.

My thanks also go to the dignitaries whose presence at this ceremony is an honour.

 Ladies and Gentlemen,


Over the past few years, I have on several occasions told you that access to energy is of crucial importance to our country. Also, I have often deplored the fact that projects of this nature which we have studied and designed have failed to see the light of day.

I have fathomed the consequences of this situation.

Indeed, without energy, there can be no real development. There can be no industry. Our agricultural and mineral raw materials cannot be processed. In short, there can be no modern economy.

Energy shortage has taken a heavy toll on our industrial sector which is highly dependent on electricity supply.

Furthermore, inadequate energy supply has made the daily lives of a large segment of our population unbearable. The often extended periods of load shedding have also disrupted work in government services, social



services such as hospitals, and even security agencies. That is, if they have not led to loss of human lives and material damage.

While it is true that such electric power cuts have unfortunately not disappeared, there is hope that our country’s electricity supply will at last be able to meet its needs.

Pending the construction of hydroelectric power facilities on most of our rivers – which is the best solution as it is long-lasting and ultimately more cost-effective – we have resorted to thermal power plants which have enabled us to partially meet our most urgent needs.

Today marks the start of a new phase or rather of another phase of our hydroelectric power development, since I cannot forget the invaluable input of the Edea, Song-Loulou and Lagdo power plants.

 Distinguished Guests,

 Ladies and Gentlemen,

Promise Fulfilled

In my address to the Nation on 31 December 2011, I announced that we would soon be laying the foundation stone of the Memve’ele hydroelectric power project.

And indeed, here we are!

A few years from now, there will be a dam here, supplying a power plant of about 200 megawatts, thus boosting the energy supply on the south interconnected grid and supplying power to the future Kribi industrial and port complex, the South Region and perhaps our neighbours, if they so desire. It goes without saying that we can also expect some spin-offs from this project in terms of jobs, communication infrastructure (for example tarring of the road up to Nyabizan) and boosting of the local economy.

However, this is just the beginning. In the coming months, construction works on the Lom Pangar and Mekin dams and power plants will be launched and further studies for the Warak and Menchum hydroelectric dams will be conducted, pending the completion of the Sanaga hydroelectric power project.

 My Dear Compatriots,

As you can see, the “Major Accomplishments” policy is gradually being set in motion. Today, it is energy that is concerned. Tomorrow, it will be the mining sector. And then, agriculture which will witness its own silent

revolution. The other sectors will follow. We will thus be on the road to becoming an emerging economy.

To this end, we must each contribute our energy (you can say that again), enthusiasm and patriotism.

To conclude, I would like to commend the excellent friendship and cooperation ties existing between our country and the People’s Republic of China, which have made possible this major project we are launching today. I take the opportunity to express the gratitude of the Cameroonian people to the friendly people of China, through their Ambassador here present, for the constant and multifaceted support China is lending our country.

Thank you for your kind attention”

 
 

Memvel’ele Hydroelectric Project: The Presidential Go Ahead

The Head of State last Friday, June 15 posed the foundation Stone for work to effectively begin on the energy production project.


There were signs of satisfaction on every face at the little locality of Nyabizan, host to the highly economic-driven Memve’ele Hydroelectric Power Project last Friday, June 15 when the Head of State, President Paul Biya posed the foundation stone for work to officially begin on the project. The go-ahead act mesmerised the population that turned out en masse, many of them from the Southern Regional capital of Ebolowa and other areas as well as from the nation’s capital, Yaounde to witness the event; a population that can better tell the story of load shedding, intermittent light failures and to some extent, excruciating electricity rates.

For a country whose electricity supply barely goes above 900 kilowatts for an estimated demand of almost double that amount pending the erection of several announced industries and geometrically growing population, it was but normal to have witnessed the population that braved the thick Equatorial forest and poor state of road to be part of the foundation stone laying ceremony. It was much more so, considering that the Head of State, as he himself rightly recalled, has on several occasions in the past, deplored the fact that projects of this nature which have been studied and designed have failed to see the light of day.

As readily hailed by the Mayor of Ma’an, the population of the sub division estimated at 12,400 inhabitants, was particularly happy that “all the money for the project is ready.” The Mayor whose welcome address was greeted with thunderous applause from the population said the construction of the road to link Meyo Centre to Nyabizan and the compensation of the population attest to the fact that work has effectively commenced. To assure Cameroonians on the seriousness of the project, the Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Basile Atangana Kouna announced that the first turbines will begin turning in 36 months.


No Energy, No Development

“Without energy, there can be no real development. There can be no industry. Our agricultural and mineral raw materials cannot be processed. In short, there can be no modern economy.” These words from the Head of State told the real story about energy and reminded the population, at the ceremonial ground in particular and Cameroonians as a whole, that the number one personality is quite aware of the capital role this in-put has in the growth and development of the nation.

Inadequate energy supply, President Biya said, has made the daily lives of a large segment of our population unbearable. “The often extended periods of load shedding have also disrupted work in government services, social services such as hospitals, and even security agencies”, he said, stating that this has equally led to loss of human lives and material damage. The Head of State assured Cameroonians that the construction of Memvve’ele hydroelectric power is just the beginning. “In the coming months, construction works on the Lom Pangar and Mekin dams and power plants will be launched and further studies for the Warak and Menchum hydroelectric dams will be conducted, pending the completion of the Sanaga hydroelectric power project”, he said.

Last Friday’s ceremony carried with it the pump that one would have expected with the traditional chiefs of the area handing a medley of gifts full of symbols to the Head of State encouraging him to forge ahead with the steering of the ship of the nation. The posing of the foundation stone, unveiling of the commemorative plate and the presentation of the dummy of the hydroelectric project crowned it all. Dance groups from the nooks of the Ma’an sub division were visibly present and animated throughout the ceremony.

What many thought was just the laying of a foundation stone went far beyond with President Biya extending his visit to the South Region to two days. The population of Ebolowa had the singular pleasure of sending him off in song and dance the following day in the midst of a traditional ceremony marked by high profile protocol. “An excellent visit, the population is happy and the perspectives are promising”, he told reporters, assuring at the same time that the best is still to come. “We still have foundation stones to lay for Mekin, lom Pangar and other major projects”, President Biya said. On his former collaborators who have been brought before justice, some of whom have been publishing information in the press ahead of judgement, President Biya said, “the judiciary is independent. We should allow it act and we will accept the results. That said, I have no comment to make on commentaries.”

 
 

Memeve’ele Hydroelectric Project: Construction Officially Begins

All is set at the little locality of Nyabisan, the site to host the multi-billion Memve’ele Hydroelectric Power Project where the Head of State, President Paul Biya will this Friday June 15,2012 officially give the green light for the construction of the dam to begin.

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Memve’ele Dam Project: Compensation Of Affected People To Begin Soon

The Senior Divisional Officer for Ntem Valley has announced that compensation claims will cost about FCFA 2 billion.

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