Ntumfor Nico Halle-led commission scores pass mark

By Sally Ncha Amoh, UB student journalist on internship in Yaounde;  with field reports

Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle

As was widely- expected, the Ntumfor Nico Halle-led special commission; charged with the award of contracts for the construction of markets in Douala; has lived up to its billings. The verdict was recently handed down by the government delegate to the Douala city council, Fritz Ntone Ntone.

Appointed head of the special commission for partnership contracts for markets construction in Douala by the prime minister in February 2012, his first assignment consisted in the selection of best tenders for the construction of the Bonamoussadi, Congo and Ndogpassi markets.

Taking into account the credibility and financial capabilities of the tenders; the capacity and credibility of the banks from which the companies would raise funds for the market projects; an assessment of past contracts carried out by the companies and an evaluation of their execution and a cross-checking of the reality of the information provided in a bid to check fraud; the contracts were awarded by the Nico Halle-led commission to SICC Cameroun and CENAINVEST SA for the construction of the Congo and Bonamoussadi markets respectively; choices for which the commission was hailed for total transparency.“None of the applicants met with the laid down requirements for the Ndogpassi market” declared the commission, “even companies with the ‘best files’ among the applicants for the Ndogpassi market cannot be selected” reiterated the no-nonsense and corruption-free commission’s head, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle.

With estimated costs of FCFA 6.854 and 12.756 billion for the Congo and Bonamoussadi markets respectively, the construction works upon completion are expected to provide modern sheds, parking spaces, toilets, police posts, pipe-borne water, restaurants, electricity installations, trash cans and lots more.

“The material to be used for the construction of the Congo market will be resistant to fire” said the general manager of SICC Cameroun. CENAINVEST SA for its part holds that the peculiarity of the Bonamoussadi market will lie in the fact that it will be built in the form of a circle and that the traffic-causing “buyam-sellams” will be properly catered for. “1400 stalls will be constructed for them at the centre of the market”, a statement read.

During a ceremony on September 13, 2012 for the signing of the contracts with the selected companies, the government delegate to the Douala city council revealed that by merit of the Nico Halle-led commission’s credibility, the council has been encouraged, and will in the coming months launch tenders for three new markets: the New Deido, Cite des Palmiers and Bonassama markets.

Ntumfor Nico Halle for his part declared that no member of his nine-man commission received any tip from whichever of the applicants during their work. “This however is to the extent that I know” he added. He however conveyed delight for the wide appreciation of work so far done by the commission, and equally assured that serenity will once more reign in the commission when next they sit to scrutinize tenders for the Ndogpassi market.