Skyrocketed prices make the buildings inhabitable.
Hopes were high, eyes wide shot and anxiety raised by the population of Cameroon.
in 2010, when President Paul Biya, launched a vast program for the construction of ten thousands low cost houses. Commencing with the construction of pilot houses in Douala and Yaounde. At the commencement of the construction, the population of the two cities saw themselves living in comfortable houses that would give them some dignity.
Little did they know that, their dreams of owning a biffiting apartment would be cut short, after the work is handed to the government.With the goal of alleviatin poverty and improve on the social status of its citizens, the low cost houses in the real sense is to be beneficial to Cameroonians of all works of life including the average citizens. But far from it, the low cost houses paradoxically is for the rich while not the very rich who can vomit out the huge sum of 16 million CFAF and above to be given an apartment.
Of what importance therefore is the construction of the low cost houses, if the poor or the have nots are unable to have an apartment. Why then call them low cost houses when the prices are skyrocketed? Why then did the former Prime Minister and Head of Government Philemon Yang, acknowledged in 2013 that more than half of the population lives in poor buildings, when the government is not set solve the problem. All these remains questions to be answered.
The skyrocketed prices of the so call low cost houses in Cameroon is pushing pundits to believe that the determination of the government to facilitate access to good lodging for all Cameroonians as declared by Philemon Yang was just a fallacy. The concept of low cost housing according to Grace Etengene has failed woefully in Cameroon since majority of the population can’t afford the amount demanded. The low cost houses at the Olembe neighbourhood in Yaounde are empty, paints washing out, a bunch of silence listeners welcome individuals who pass around there.
John Asam pointed out. No one can gainsay the fact that the low cost houses, was constructed for the rich and you must be connected before having an apartment. This explains why Jean Claude Mbwentchou, the former Minister of Urban Development and Housing stated clearly that only the Head of State Paul Biya knows who will finally have which house and at what price following application. Thus no room for low income earners in the country to obtain an apartment.
The inability of the state to make the price of the low cost houses affordable to all citizens is going against the 1948 universal declaration of human rights, which clearly states that housing is a fundamental right to manifest human dignity. If the government follows World Health Organization prescription of housing being a major determinant of state of population health, it would not leave Cameroonians frustrated after raising their hopes.
By Takang Bisong
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