CI-NEWS

Construction of 54.5 billion new ultramodern Parliament seat begins by end of year.

2019-07-16

No: 436

Construction of 54.5 billion new ultramodern Parliament seat begins by end of year.

The construction of a new ultramodern and futuristic two-tier Parliament seat to replace the close to 50-year-old Glass House, part of which was recently gutted down by fire, will begin by end of this year.

The announcement was made last Thursday by Hon. Datouo Theodore, Deputy President of the National Assembly who doubles as president of the follow-up committee for the construction project during a press conference in Yaounde.

The new complex to be built on 35500 m2 of the 9-hectare space covering the current site; residence of the President of the Economic and Social Council; and the National Gendarmerie squadron, is a gift of the Chinese government to the tune of 54.5 billion FCFA. It is expected to be constructed over a period of 42 months. It will consist of a 400-seat hemicycle, a water treatment centre, parking lots, administrative buildings, technical buildings, offices for the Speaker, Deputy Speakers, Parliamentary and Senate groups, 1000-seat meeting room, celebration hall, among others.

Hon. Datouo said the construction of the new structure translates the will of President Paul Biya to modernize state institutions. In the case of Parliament, it became necessary to give it a seat to reflect the bicameral Parliament existing since 2013 with the advent of the Senate. The resizing also became imperative because of constitutional prerogatives like the swearing-in of the President of the Republic and the Meeting of the Upper and Lower Houses in Congress. Besides, the modernization of the institution will enable the House access technological developments reflecting international standards. The current building will be preserved as a museum.

The follow-up committee created by decision of the Bureau of the National Assembly is charged with identification of the site; development of the site; follow-up of studies; construction and equipment and ensuring that service goes on at the National Assembly during the construction period.

When work begins most services of the National Assembly will be relocated to buildings at Warda and the National Gendarmerie Squadron.

The three schools located at the Gendarmerie will be relocated to Ecole Publique Olembe, Ecole Departementale and Ecole Japonaise at Stade Militaire, Hon. Datouo said. .Meanwhile, the bulk of the Gendarmerie staff will be relocated to the Olembe Low-cost Housing Site.

Hon. Datouo said it was the wish of the Chinese and the Cameroonian parties for the construction work to begin by the end of 2019. Already on 18 April 2019, a project implementation agreement was signed between the Chinese and Cameroonian parties. This was followed by a meeting in Beijing to iron out issues. In mid-June the Chinese government launched a tender which ended up in the selection of the enterprise to carry out the works.

Hon. Datouo, who was flanked by the economic counselor at the Chinese Embassy sitting in for the Chinese Ambassador, assured Cameroonians that local material (Cameroonian wood and stones) will be used in the construction of the complex.

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

Construction of 54.5 billion new ultramodern Parliament seat begins by end of year.