What were some of issues discussed during the 19th session of National Road Board?

The Prime Minister asked the participants to present their diagnoses on why road maintenance and construction of new roads are not really meeting up with the plan of government. So, we had presentations from the Minister of Public Works who explained the difficulties faced in the sector in terms of studies which most of the time are not very adequate. Secondly, road construction companies lack expertise in road construction and road maintenance. They also lack a solid financial surface which poses a problem. The Minister of Urban Development also said the same thing in his presentation.

As to what concerns the Ministry of Finance, we presented the difficulties faced in the funding of road maintenance and road construction companies. These difficulties are not only at the level of treasury management but also upstream at the level of technical services. So, if the studies are well done, projects are well followed-up and the jobbing orders prepared and presented to the Minister of Finance on time, they are programmed and paid subsequently.
As of now, we do not have outstanding payments for road maintenance and road construction jobs. The problem could be found not only at the level of the treasury but elsewhere. I made it clear that it is not a matter of getting funds to idle in accounts for road maintenance but getting the jobs effectively done on the field.

So what were the Prime Minister’s recommendations?

At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister made concrete recommendations to all the parties notably the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Public Contracts and the Ministry of Finance. We will be looking at reforming the Road Fund to make it more autonomous, more performant and more assuring to road construction companies. — Source : Cameroon Tribune