As 2016 and 2019 approach, the government of Cameroon is working tooth and nail to live up to expectation with the exigencies of hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the female and male categories.

Having requested and got the blessings of the Confederation of African Football to push the competition in the female category from October 8-22, 2016 to November 19- December 3, 2016, there seem to be concerted efforts to beat out laxity as well as pre-empt overdose of confidence which could all be prejudicial to the effective hosting of the continental fiesta.

17 Ministries to Oversee Preparations

A presidential decree of October 3, 2014 created an inter-ministerial Preparatory Committee headed by the Prime Minister, Head of Government to oversee an optimal preparation of the 2016 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. The COMIP-CAN, has as mission to set out strategic orientations and the plan of action for the success of the two competitions.

Specifically, the committee was charged with coming up with infrastructure projects for the two continental competitions, a detail calendar on how and when each of the projects is to be carried out, where financing could be sourced and their follow up. For efficiency, the committee was assigned with an operational organ, the Technical Secretariat.

As a follow up to the Presidential decree, the Prime Minister on December 10, 2014 signed an arrêté spelling out the modalities for the functioning of the Technical Secretariat for preparing the two AFCONS. Sources say members long got to work to surmount the challenges.

It is expected that a stadium for the competition and five training grounds complying with the standards of the Confederation of African Football as well as appropriate hosting facilities will be made available in each of the selected towns. In this case, Limbe and Yaounde for 2016 and Yaounde, Bafoussam, Garoua and Douala-Limbe for 2019. The 17 ministries are therefore working in synergy to ensure that all is in order for the success of the competitions.

2016 Female AFCON

Two towns, Yaounde and Limbe have been selected to play host to the competition. The 20, 000 capacity Omnisports Stadium in the Ngeme neigbourhood of Limbe has been completed by a Chinese firm, China Machinery Engineering Corporation, and works accepted since September 2014. The 90x120m turf is fully ready to host matches of international magnitude.

However, what is still left are indispensable outer works on surrounding facilities such as accesses, bypass roads and parking space. The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Public Contracts, Abba Sadou recently contracted the outer works of the Limbe Stadium to three firms to accelerate work so as to get all done in maximum eight months.

While MAG Sarl firm will be constructing the main access road into the west end of the stadium to the tune of FCFA 3.8 billion, BUNS will be in charge of bypass roads to be constructed at FCFA 7.66 billion. Meanwhile, Groupement Croisière BTP-Route d’Af will be given FCFA 5.4 billion to develop the parking space.

The Yaounde Omnisports Stadium in its current state, experts say, requires in-depth works to live up to the standards of an Africa Cup of Nations. This entails an intense renovation and the rehabilitation of three training grounds including the two annex stadia of the Omnisports stadium and the Yaounde Military Stadium.

Already, the contracts related to the fitting of seats, the rehabilitation of the playground and the athletics tracks of the Omnisports Stadium have already been awarded to two contractors.

Alcor Equipements will be given FCFA 3 billion to refurbish the seating space and China Shanxi Construction Engineering with FCFA 1.2 billion will be required to rehabilitate the turf and the athletics tracks of the stadium. Sinohydro Corporation Limited, another Chinese firm has been awarded the contract to carry out civil engineering works at the annex 1 and 2 Military Stadium in Ngoa-Ekelle to serve as training ground. This will cost FCFA 3.2 billion.

2019 AFCON

Infrastructure development for the 2019 Nations Cup in the male category has already begun. A 20,000 capacity stadium in Kouekong, some 16 km from Bafoussam is already over 92 per cent complete. China Machinery Engineering Corporation, the Chinese firm constructing the Stadium is rounding off.

Already, the contractor has already finished with the main construction works. The main structure, the seats, the stand, the lamps, the functional and equipment rooms as well as the football field are visible. The seeds for green grass to grow on the turf have been planted and in the weeks ahead, the green turf will be in place likewise the runway. Outer works as well as electricity and potable water supply are still to be contracted to get the edifice fully ready.

Rehabilitation works will be done in the Garoua Roumde Adja Omnisports Stadium, the Douala Reunification Stadium and the fifteen training grounds selected in Douala, Bafoussam and Garoua corresponding to five per city. A 60,000 capacity stadium is earmarked for Olembe in Yaounde with two annex playgrounds and a 50, 000-seat stadium in Douala at the Japoma neighbourhood also with two annex playgrounds.

Accommodation Facilities

Stakeholders in the tourism sector are working to meet up with the requirement that each host town of the competitions be provided with at least three four-star hotels so that the competing teams can lodge in two while the officials occupy one.

The Minister of Tourism and Leisure already came up with an emergency programme to this effect involving both the public and private sectors. Speaking to the press after last Thursday’s Council of Ministers meeting at Unity Palace, Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang said, “we will begin very serious negotiations to get the money we need to build what we need to build.”