Yang Secretly Secures Funding For Complete Tarring of Ring Road

- After Kumbo, Work Extends To Nkambe-Wum; But Sabga-Ndop Lap Ignored

By Musa Isa

The major cry of every North West son/daughter is to see the ring road tarred. President Paul Biya made a pledge, some 20 years ago to personally supervise the tarring. It was thus left for the Prime Minister at the time, Simon Achidi Achu, coincidentally a North Westerner, to actualize the dream. Achidi Achu rather took his appointment and qualified it as the ring road, which Biya promised North West. When President Biya was in Bamenda in December 2010 for celebrations marking the 50^th anniversary of the armed forces, he reiterated his pledge that this time, the ring road would be realized. As he left it was Philemon Yang, Prime Minister and Head of Government, whom Chronicle learnt took the file as a personal issue.

Last week, a Prime Ministerial insider hinted Chronicle that Yang had scored a major point for the North West. Accordingly, the Prime Minister has lobbied and secured funds for the complete tarring of the ring road. Chronicle was told that the move is just being kept secret: that not long, it would be unveiled. Moreso, the PM has decided not to make any noise about it, given that earlier promises have not been attained.

Chronicle was told that funds, which amount is still being kept secret, would ensure that the stretch: Kumbo-Nkambe-Wum be effectively tarred. According to our informant, when SOGEA-SATOM, the company presently working on the Babungo-Kumbo stretch must have completed their assignment, they would ensue to the next lap, which is the Kumbo-Nkambe axis; thereafter, extend to Wum.

Chronicle was not however told about what would become the situation of the Bamenda-Wum lap of the ring road, which has just portions of it tarred. The Bamenda-Wum lap of the ring road has been another major headache especially during the wet season. Portions of the road collapse, making movement difficult. There has been the need for a new road to be surveyed and dug linking Bamenda and Wum.

Questioned whether the funds secured would cover the Bambili-Sabga-Ndop stretch of the ring road, whose tarring is now at a deplorable state, Chronicle was told, not at all. The funds would only extend the work SATCOM is presently carrying out, after its contract to tar the Babungo-Kumbo lap ends, Chronicle was told.

Reports hold that the Prime Minister has been very bitter over the poor management of the Ndop section of the ring road. So vexed was Yang, that the contract was allegedly withdrawn from the initial contractor. Chronicle was told that presently something is being done on the Ndop-Babungo stretch of the ring road, although it is uncertain whether any effective work, comparable to what SATCOM is doing on the Babungo-Kumbo lap would be witnessed.

The complete tarring of the ring road is one of the major projects enlisted on President Paul Biya’s greater realization agenda. With municipal/legislative elections to hold next year, politicians would be able to use the ring road as a major campaign weapon to lure voters, especially in key opposition areas like Babessi, Kumbo, Ndu and Nkambe.

The SDF may be at a lose given that with the effective tarring going on, the CPDM would score more points in convincing voters about the need to vote for a party that can tar roads.