Gone are the days when people and vehicles passing through Sa'a, Lekie Division going to Koro and other neighbouring villages in Mbam and Kim Division of the Centre Region and beyond would be subjected to brave the hitherto metallic bridge over the dreadful River Sanaga. A start-of-the-art bridge (Pont de l'Enfance) constructed by Six International Company with funding from the governments of Belgium and Cameroon to the tune of about FCFA 15 billion now links Lekie to Mbam and Kim Divisions.

Prime Minister, Philemon Yang on behalf of the Head of State unveiled the commemorative plaque and cut the inaugural ribbon in Koro, Mbam and Kim Division on Wednesday September 5 in a colourful ceremony attended by people of all walks of life. Even before the Head of Government made his entry into the ceremonial ground, dance groups from villages in Lekie and Mbam and Kim Divisions had already taken up vital positions, singing and dancing for what they said was "a new dawn for the two villages." Their joy in song and dance was also presented in speech by the Mayor of Sa'a Council, Ondobo Mono Jerome, who qualified President Paul Biya as "true to his words." He said difficult moments when people and goods competed for space in the metallic bridge or the ferry were over. Movement from one end to the other, Mr Ondobo said, was extremely difficult. "Today, we are happy with what government has done," he said. Like his counterpart of Sa'a, Mbena Mengue Dieudonnee, Mr Ondobo noted that the inauguration of the bridge was proof of veritable national unity. It links the two Divisions as well as the Centre to the West and Adamawa Regions.

Socio-economic Importance

The bridge, speaker after speaker said, is a veritable purveyor of development in the two Divisions and country at large. Adding his voice to those of the Mayors, the Minister of Public Works, Patrice Amba Salla, said the fluidity of the bridge will foster development and by extension reduce poverty. Ntui and other neighbouring villages in Mbam and Kim Division likewise Sa'a and its environs are agricultural zones with cocoa, yams, plantains and others grown in great quantities for markets in Yaounde and beyond.

In his inaugural speech, the Prime Minister said the construction of the bridge is part of the Head of State's programme to provide solid and durable infrastructure in Cameroon. While praising bilateral cooperation thanks to which the project is realised, the Head of Government enjoined the population to efficiently use the bridge to better their living conditions.

Projects in the Pipeline

In response to the wishes expressed by the peoples' representatives of the two Divisions, Mr Yang disclosed that studies are being finalised in view of constructing the Batchenga-Ntui-Yoko-Tibati road, the imminent reconstruction of the Sa'a-Pont de l'Enfance-Ntui stretch, the construction of the bridge over Sanaga in the Nactigal, continuation of work on Obala-Batchenga-Bouam with the Nkolessong-Nding-Mgbaba stretch as well as the pavement of Efok-Elig Mfomo axis. Announcements that ignited ecstasy in the population who sang and danced with a central message of, "Le Mbam et Kim dit merci au Président Paul Biya, l'homme des Grandes Réalisations pour le pont de l'Enfance. »