Author: A. Vin

A Paper presented AT a Forum for the Development of Kupe-Muanenguba DIVISION, on 13th December, 2008
at Bangem
Title: Towards the Development of Kupe - Muanenguba
Division, in Cameroon
By: Thomas Ntoko
(Senior Civil Engineer)

The Honourable Prime Minister,
Distinguished Guests.
Brothers and Sisters of Kupe - Muanenguba Division,
Permit me to seize the opportunity of this forum, organized by our kith and kin from the diaspora, to air my views about the development of our Division.
1. INTRODUCTION.
As we all know, Kupe - Muanenguba is one of the six Divisions in the South West Region of Cameroon. The Division derives its name from two physical features in the territory - Mount Kupe in Tombel Sub Division and lakes Muanenguba in Bangem Sub Division. We know that our Division is made up of three Sub Divisions - Tombel, Bangem and Nguti. More than eighty percent of the inhabitants of the Division are the Bakossis; the population of the entire Division is not less than 1.2 million.
In terms of topography, Kupe-Muanenguba land rises steadily, from the Tombel area to Bangem area and then drops gently to the Nguti area. The Division is predominantly a forest zone with young volcanic soil, arising from the eruption of the Kupe Mountain over the years. The texture of the volcanic soil plus the topography of the land promote enormous infiltration of the abundant rainfall, giving rise to a great amount of perennial surface water (perennial flow of several streams and rivers in the Division). Added to this are the pleasant climate, temperature, relative humidity, sufficient soil moisture and sunshine in the entire Division.
2. NATURAL RESOURCES
As a result of the above physical features, the entire Division has very rich soil and, in-fact, everything grows. About cash crops, the inhabitants of the Division, who are predominantly farmers, grow cocoa, coffee, palms, banana, pepper etc. There is enormous timber in the vast forest; rubber too does very well. About food crops, there is abundant cocoa-yam, yam itself, plantains, beans, cassava, different types of potatoes, maize, oranges, grape-fruits, plums, pears and other fruits. There are cabbages, carrots and many other types of vegetables.
The perennial rivers in the Division are a potential source for hydro-electricity generation.
About minerals, the potentiality is quite high. Apparently, no thorough research has been carried out but salt and limestone have been identified in some areas of the Division. Crystalline basement rocks (gneisses, granite, basalt) used for building and road construction, especially after having been crushed as aggregates, exist in abundance. Sand is in abundance at Mungo, in chide river at Baseng area and below. Abundant sand is also reported at Babubock area. Surely, we all know the major role of sand and aggregate in building construction.
With regards to tourism, Kupe-Muanenguba Division will be an attractive area. Besides the Kupe Mountain, there are a number of exciting high spots all over the Division, including river falls. There are four lakes in the Division - the Muanenguba twin lakes in Bangem, Edib lake in Tombel Sub Division and Bermin lake in Nguti Sub Division. There are several types of wild animals and birds in our forests which attract a lot of tourists and researchers.
3. Human Resources
When it comes to education, there is no gain-say that Kupe-Muanenguba Division is among the highly educated Divisions in Cameroon. We can confidently say that we have personnel in all the fields.
4. Road Infrastructure
Generally, the road infrastructure in Kupe-Muanenguba is awful. If by a road we rightfully mean a reliable road (an all weather road), then it can be conveniently said that Kupe-Muanenguba Division has no roads. Apart from an insignificant population of our people located along the Kumba - Mamfe road, there is not even a kilometer of a bituminous road through Kupe-Muanenguba Division. The earth roads that exist, have very poor horizontal and vertical alignments and are very poorly maintained. Besides, the heavy rainfall in the Division does not spare earth roads. As a matter of fact, the inhabitants of Kupe-Muanenguba Division can hardly travel reliably in a vehicle for more than four months in a year. Even during these four months, it must be a four wheel drive vehicle. Meanwhile it should be mentioned here that there is no road at all between Bangem and Nguti, even though the former is the Divisional Headquarter. This road infrastructure problem has subjected most of our people to abject poverty.
5. Beneficiaries of Kupe-Muanenguba
Division’s Food Crops
Despite the bad roads, a few gigantic trucks come in from Douala to carry away tons of food items when it is possible. Douala is the economic capital of Cameroon and the capital of littoral Region. The population of Douala is said to be about 2.5million. The distance from Douala - Tombel is 125km, broken down as follows:
Douala - Loum = 115km
Loum - Tombel = 10km
Douala - Loum is a decent bituminous highway. Loum - Tombel is a deplorable earth road.
The food merchants from Douala who brave the bad roads in Kupe-Muanenguba Division, virtually get the food for free because the poor farmers and producers hardly see buyers. The merchants carry the food to Douala to sell at exorbitant prices to the huge population. They (the merchants) even go as far as to foreign countries such as Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to sell their merchandise. At the end of the day, the huge profits these merchants make point to the fact that their producers are merely working for them.
6. Tackling the problem of our people
With the understanding that this forum has been organized to look for a solution to this road problem, among other things, I wish to bring out the following facts: To open up our Division for Investors and Tourists, we need the following roads, as all weather roads, as soon as possible:
Kumba - Tombel - Bangem - Nguti (45+55+80) = 180km
Ebonji - Ngusi - Ngomboku = 32km
Bangem - Melong = 35km
Tombel - Loum = 10km
Total Distance = 257km
The economic cost of realizing these roads (at about 350.000.000 FCFA per kilometer) = 90.000.000.000 FCFA ≈ (180.000.000 US Dollars). This economic cost is established with regards to technical specifications for a standard highway, e.g. on the following basis.
Pavement characteristics:
Sub Base: CBR not less than 40%
Base Course: CBR 80 - 95%
Surfacing: 3 coats bituminous layer
Drainage structures (bridges, culverts etc) are included in the rough estimate.
Complete consultancy (studies and supervision of works) included in the rough estimate.
Corruption, in all its forms, is not to be allowed.
7. Allusion to economic analysis
of project and conclusion.
With reference to item 2 (Natural Resources) in this paper, there is no doubt that if the roads cited above are well studied and the cost/benefit analysis is carried out, the cost/benefit ratio and the rate of return will be quite attractive; added to this, poverty alleviation, in the Division, will be truly set in motion.
The above roads are priority roads; others can be tackled later. For example, do we know that Western Bakossi can be linked to the rest of the Tombel Sub Division, by a tunnel of minimum length, through the Rumpi Hills?
Again, this paper is presented with the notion that all of us (Kupe-Muanenguba sons and daughters in general and in particular those of you in the diaspora) can identify a magic solution to our biting and chronic problem.
“Finem”

2

3

4

5

6

7

8