Scenes of flooding in Yaounde caused by gushing overflowing water from the Mfoundi Stream that runs through the centre of the capital city might soon be a thing of the past.

As a result of the narrow river bed and heaps of refuse often dumped into the stream by uncaring residents, flooding of the city centre is common each time it rains for some minutes.

But some glimmer of hope of a lasting solution to the problem is now in sight. The Yaounde City Council has awarded a contract of FCFA 47.9 billion to French construction firm, Razel, to extend the current 2.4 km Chinese-built canal on the stream by a further 2.6 km.

The project is to begin behind the SCDP petroleum depot in the Nsam neighbourhood and go past the Sofavinc wine plant on the Yaounde-Douala highway on the southern outskirts of the capital. An international tender was advertised on February 23, 2015 after which two French construction firms, Razel and Sogea Satom, expressed interest.

According to an announcement by the Yaounde City Council published in Cameroon Tribune on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, funding was secured from the African Development Fund, ADF, the French Development Agency, AFD and the International Fund for Environment. The money is for the implementation of the second phase of the Yaounde Urban Development Project, PADY. A portion of the AFD loan will be used for the extension of the canal.

The release from the Yaounde City Council says the new canal will have a width of between 15 m and 22 m and depth of 3.5 m, taking the form of a rectangle or trapezium. It will also comprise pedestrian crossing points, pavements and beautification of the shores.

Meanwhile, at Abattoir near a local brewery on the Yaounde Air Force Base Road, Razel is setting up its field camp. Graders are busy leveling the area for parking heavy machinery and construction of workers’ quarters. The houses formerly used by Chinese employees during the construction of the first phase of the canal are being refurbished for Razel to take over.

The little makeshift market adjacent the brewery is about to disappear as the beginning of construction work is imminent.