Waste Piles Up in Yaoundé: Financial Shortages and Delayed Contracts Aggravate Crisis

In his December 31, 2023 address, Biya urged the government to urgently find a sustainable solution for waste collection in collaboration with local municipalities and urban communities. However, nearly three months before the end of 2024, this call seems far from being realized in many cities, including Yaoundé.

Even the "Coup de Poing" (Punch Operation) launched by Housing Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtes during a crisis meeting on July 18, 2024, has not achieved its goal of swiftly removing the piles of waste around the capital. For example, in areas like "Descente Mokolo Elobi" and "Montée Chapelle Obili," trash still covers the streets. In response to this ongoing issue, Minister Courtes sent a letter on September 2, 2024, to Luc Messi Atangana, the Mayor of Yaoundé, requesting a follow-up on the recommendations made during the July meeting.

Minister Courtes urged the mayor to speed up the contracting of waste management companies Hysacam and Thychlof and to revise ongoing contracts to better plan collection efforts based on the needs of different areas.

Financial Shortages

Mayor Luc Messi Atangana responded to the Minister’s concerns on September 3, 2024, ahead of a scheduled meeting on September 4. He claimed that many of the proposed actions had already been implemented, some dating back two years. Regarding waste collection companies, he noted that their contract extensions had been signed after their original contracts expired in December 2023. According to sources from the Ministry of Housing, "no specific agreements were made between the ministry and the companies, except for providing fuel for the vehicles involved." However, the City of Yaoundé claims the "Coup de Poing" operation lacked sufficient funding, preventing companies from working regularly and effectively.

A World Bank study estimates that a city like Yaoundé needs about 15 billion CFA francs annually for waste collection, but only 5 billion CFA francs are available—85% of which is provided by the government. With the city's urban community contributing just 15%, it struggles to cover the full costs of waste removal, which is an ongoing need.

The central issue remains financial: without a reliable funding model, simply contracting new companies will not solve the sanitation problem, as costs are expected to rise. The Yaoundé City Hall suggests a "special fund release" by the government to help offset these expenses, especially given the city's rapid population growth.

Streamlining Procedures

Mayor Messi Atangana also criticized the current requirements for waste management companies, calling them overly strict. He suggested simplifying the process or considering "special contracts" through direct negotiations. In June 2024, an international tender was launched to recruit companies for waste collection, with an estimated budget of 61.8 billion CFA francs. Initially, the deadline for proposals was August 20, 2024, but this was extended by a month for unspecified reasons. This lengthy process could complicate waste collection further, especially since a June 2024 World Bank report revealed that 69.8% of surveyed companies found the 90-day tender submission period too long, and 11.61% considered the procedures overly complex.

Rwanda’s Model Still Anticipated

Some experts believe Cameroon needs a sustainable waste management financing model, similar to a monthly salary system. In August 2022, Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtes led a delegation to Kigali, Rwanda, to study and replicate Rwanda’s successful waste management practices. However, two years later, the implementation of such a model in Cameroon is still awaited.