FEICOM, MIPROMALO, UCCC sign partnership to vulgarise local buildings materials

By Tamfu Harrison Bawe in Yaounde

The Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance; known by its French acronym as FEICOM, the Local Materials Promotion Authority – MIPROMALO and the United Cities and Councils of Cameroon – UCCC have signed a partnership agreement to promote and vulgarise local building materials in the country.

The signing ceremony that was attended by senior officials of the above institutions and some mayors took place on October 10, 2012, at the FEICOM conference hall in Yaounde.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, FEICOM’s emblematic general manager, Philippe Camille Akoa said from 2007 to 2012, his institution has given out 112.500.177.925 FCFA to 369 councils for the realization of some 1480 projects. Of this amount, he said over 60% was devoted to the construction or rehabilitation of council halls in 217 councils all over the national territory.

Philippe Camille Akoa said FEICOM has also offered 17.812.475.471 FCFA for construction works in the educational sector. In this regard, he cited the construction and equipment of 1412 classrooms, 655 latrines, 28 administrative buildings as well as a guest house. Buildings, he said, have also been funded to the tune of 1.963.952.779 FCFA in the areas of culture and sports and leiture. He particularly cited five council libraries, eleven community huts, one banquet hall and six grandstands. In the health sector, 25 health centres were financed to the tune of 1.465.849.783 FCFA while markets, motor parks and tourism infrastructure have swallowed 10.604.467.782 FCFA from FEICOM’s coffers.

The FEICOM general manager noted that most of these projects were constructed with imported materials and expressed the hope that the partnership agreement with MIPROMALO will not only reduce cost of building and construction but equally reduce cash flow out of the country.

According  to the terms of the convention, FEICOM will finance council projects while MIPROMALO will carry out studies necessary for the use of local materials existing in council areas. The FEICOM general manager hinted that besides being economically cheaper, local materials guarantee security and comfort than imported building materials.

Andze Andze Emile and Uphie Melo Chinje; president of UCCC and general manager of MIPROMALO respectively both expressed appreciation to FEICOM for their timely intervention to promote the use of local building materials in various municipalities across the country.