Cameroonian minister lays foundation stone for Chinese-aided water project

This photo taken on Aug. 28, 2023 shows a scene of the signing ceremony of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua-Boulai, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua)

YAOUNDE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua Boulai, a town in the country's East Region.

The launch constitutes the second phase of the project, which aims to improve water production and supply in nine cities of the Central African nation. The project will be implemented by the Chinese construction company CGCOC Group.

"The duration for the second phase of this project is 36 months ... because this population wants water. I would therefore expect the CGCOC company to be as professional as it has always been," Essomba said after officially launching the project.

"The direct impact of this project will relate to the production, at the end of the two phases, of approximately 120,000 cubic meters available to the populations," said Blaise Moussa, general manager of state-run Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation. "And if we consider that each cubic meter corresponds to a household, you can multiply what this can bring as a result."

The project was launched in 2014 with the first phase of construction completed in four cities. This second phase targets the cities of Garoua-Boulai, Dschang, Garoua, Maroua and Yabassi.

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 28, 2023 shows a city view in Garoua-Boulai, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 28, 2023 shows a scene of the commencement ceremony of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua-Boulai, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua)