On January 11 and March 26, 2008 the General Manager of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, Mr. Henry Njalla Quan, launched two giant agricultural projects – the Boa Plain Oil Palm and the Matouke Rubber Development Projects respectively.

The projects, situated in Bamusso Sub-Division, Ndian Division of the South West Region for Boa and Mbanga Sub-Division, Mungo Division in the Littoral Region entail the expansion of CDC hectarage for both the oil palm and rubber by 6,000 Ha for each crop.

If there were any lingering doubts about the effective realisation of these two very ambitious projects, which form part of Mr. Njalla Quan’s strategic plan dubbed “Vision 2007 – 2012”, these should be laid to permanent rest because the projects are well on course.

A field visit to  the Boa Plain Oil Palm Project site by a crew of about 30 journalists from the private and public media last Thursday December 18, confirmed the faultless advancement of work on the project site. The journalists were led in the expedition by CDC Communication Manager, the very affable Prince Charles Endeley. In fact, as the pressmen went about their mission there was a sense of disarming mathematical precision with which the project is being carried. Be it for the nursery, land for transplanting and construction of the oil mill, targets and deadlines are being met, at times with over 100 percent realisation rate.

Mill Site

The first confirmation that Mr. Njalla Quan and his team are on track is the site for the construction of a 15 ton/hr capacity oil mill, which was the first stop of the inquisitive pressmen. The humming and buzzing noise of a bulldozer, as it rakes through the cleared land, churning soil and shrubs tell the story of serious business going-on. The Driver, Ebenezer Molika told the press that “we have been on this site for the past two weeks and we are preparing the land of the construction of a new oil mill”.

Project Mill manager, Polycarp Chungong told the journalists that this phase of the mill project concerns “earth works – preparing the ground, clearing the site, after which there would be levelling, excavation and filling”.

According to Chungong “the foundation works will soon begin followed by the installation of the mill proper which would take-off around March/April 2009”. The installation, according to the Engineer would last for about 4 – 6 months. In a one-on-one with The Sun, Chungong revealed that the only problem at this stage was the soil which was a bit too clayey but that this has been solved by filling with hard core materials.

All in all, some 25 hectares of land have been earmarked for the installation of the mill and the building of houses and other infrastructure. The site already has signposts indicating where the various departments of the mill would be situated. In his brief statement to the pressmen at the C.D.C Head Office in Bota – Limbe, Mr. Njalla Quan announced that the “first drops of palm oil would flow from the mill by this time next year”.  The GM also revealed that the equipment for the oil mill was already at the Douala seaport waiting to be transported to the site in Boa. He said he had personally made trips on the road trajectory which the transporting vehicles would use to assess the situation and proffer advice to the drivers on how to move. The equipment was ordered form Europe and Asia specifically Malaysia which is the reference country in oil palm production.

According to Mr. Chungong, the overall cost of the mill equipment, installation and construction of offices and houses is estimated at about fcfa 7 billion.  Precisely, the mill equipment cost FCFA 3 billion, while installation would gulp another FCFA 3 billion and FCFA one billion would be spent building staff quarters, etc. This money, like that for other projects, according to GM Njalla Quan, would be financed exclusively by the C.D.C. It should be recalled that the Illoani Oil Palm Estate currently has about 1,525 hectares in production and it is this production which the mill would start processing before the new plantings come to maturity. The mill is expected to handle 85,000 tons of FFB (Fresh Fruit Bunch) per year at peak production.

New Plantings in April 2009

There was every reason for the Boa Plain Oil Palm Project Manager, Mr. Peter Forsah to be happy and proud when he took journalists round the well-kept and fresh-looking 25-hectare nursery situated in Bonjari village. From information, it is the biggest in West Africa”, the young and dynamic manager intimated the press.

In this giant nursery, Mr. Forsah revealed that 134,000 plants have already been planted while 132,000 more are expected to be planted, all with seeds from the Dibamba Research Centre. Despite the effects of giant rats and wild palms, Mr. Forsah proudly announced that the success rate at the nursery “is above 100%”.This is due to the fact that some of the seedlings produce twins and triplets.
The nursery operations, like most other operations, have been given out on contract, according to the Project Manager. The nursery workforce of the contractor stands at about 120. The manager says the corporation has an eye on the situation to make sure there are no lapses. If the nursery has succeeded beyond expectations, it is mostly due to the care and sane agricultural practices carried out during this delicate phase of the plant’s life.

For instance, the installation of a giant irrigation plant by C.D.C engineers makes it possible for each plant to receive at least 2 litres of water per day. This, added to prophylactic treatment, a well executed weeding programme, fencing and fertilization have produced the positive results. This is why Mr. Forsah confidently told the press that “the first planting will be done in April 2009”. These palms shall be expected to mature by July 2012.

With land preparation going-on in earnest, Mr. Forsah said 1000 hectares would be planted in 2009 with some 200,000 seedlings at three different locations. While 700 hectares would be planted in Boa, 100 hectares each shall be planted in Dikome, Mbongo and Bonjari respectively. The Project Manager briefed journalists that the C.D.C intends to plant 6,000 hectares within the next five years and that “with new agricultural techniques in place, the yield per hectare will increase from 7 tons/ha to 15-20 tons per hectare. At peak production, 85,000 tons of FFB per year will be expected. With favourable climate conditions, actual maximum yields records at Illoani Estate is put at 20 tons per hectare, one of the best in the World.
The Boa Plain Project as highlighted by C.D.C GM Mr. Njalla Quan during its launching is going to offer over 3000 direct and indirect jobs. According to the Project Manager, most of the operations will be done by third parties. Permanent labour, he went on, shall be recruited for specific jobs.

C.D.C management has envisaged the construction of 8 camps, two estate main offices and several management and other houses. A medical facility has been anticipated to cater for the expected population explosion within the Boa Plain. Already water is now flowing in Bonjari thanks to the rehabilitation of the SCAN water tank in Mbongo which for years had been abandoned. It has put in place a scheme to develop a strong small-holder sector in the area. 2500 hectares have been earmarked for village settlement of which each of the 13 village communities would be encouraged to operate a small holder oil palm development scheme. The corporation, according to Mr. Forsah, will sell out nursery seedlings at subsidised rates and offer free expert advice to small holder farmers.

Chief delighted

If those coming form outside are amazed and overwhelmed with the up-coming Eldorado, which is expected to transform the entire Boa Plain, those who live in Boa cannot be indifferent. “The people of Mbongo and me are very happy to have the C.D.C with us. This is the beginning of development in this area because we have been here for a long time and we have never seen this”. These were the words of a delighted HRM Michael Anje Netomba, the chief of Mbong Village.
Bad roads, bad roads, a big worry.

It sticks like a bone in the throat. The issue of bad roads in the country is a tell-tale song. That of the South West especially Meme and Ndian Divisions is a sickening sore.

The 73-kilometre road from Kumba to Boa is a Calvary ride and many would have their hearts in their mouths the day the CDC would embark on transporting the mill equipment form Douala to Illoani. Within the plain of Boa, communication is dismal. There is an earth road connecting Mbonge to Boa native, via Illoani and Mbongo. During the wet season, it is often difficult to pass along this road.

On the main road of 38.4 km that traverses Barombi Mokoko in the north to Njangassa in the south, permanent bridges have been built but the road is in a poor state. The CDC, notwithstanding, is allocating huge amounts of resources to maintain a viable road network within the estates but the cry is that government should step with a sense of urgency to rehabilitate the Kumba – Mbonge and Mbonge – Idenau roads so that the corporation, the population and the nation benefit fully form the on-going courageous investments. It is often said that where a good road passes, development follows.

This time Mr. Henry Njalla Quan and his team did not wait for a good road to pass first. They courageously took the bull by the horns and have carried development ahead of a good road. This is the reason why government efforts in providing good roads are being seriously awaited.

It should be noted that another agro-industrial complex located in the same Ndian Division has also been suffering enormously from the bad nature of the Kumba – Mbonge – Ekondo Titi road.

Matouke also on course

Meanwhile, in a presentation by the Plan and Development Manager, Henry Becke, the journalists were informed that the Matouke Rubber Development informed that the Matouke Rubber Development Project is also meeting its targets. 6000 hectares of rubber are to be planted over a 5-year period form 2008 – 2012 requiring a colossal sum of FCFA 10.4 billion over a period of 11 years. Altogether, the corporation is to invest FCFA 17.4 billion over the next 11 years in Matouke with the creation of about 2000 jobs. The extension of the rubber factory has also been envisaged. 

By Norbert Wasso Binde