The Paradox About Government’s Low Cost Houses

The ministers of Housing and Urban Development, State Property and Land Tenure; Jean Claude Mbwenchou and Koung a Bessike Jacqueline have been in Yaoundé and Douala these few days to receive some low cost houses which were being built by some Chinese contractors.

The houses are over 1000 apartments both in Yaoundé and Douala with Douala having 660. Constructed by the government to help alleviate poverty and improve on the social statues of its citizens, low cost houses in effect are supposed to benefit Cameroonians of all works of life or at least an average Cameroonian.

But the paradox with Cameroons low cost houses is that only the rich and very rich can afford. One has to cough out a whooping sum of 16 million and above to be able to acquire an apartment.

Low Income earners have cried foul when they realized that they can and will never live in such housing which has an appellation sizable to their pockets.

The concept of low cost houses has failed woefully in Cameroon both in procedures and in acquisition.

First Minster Jean Claude Mbwentchou of Urban Development was even proud to say only President Paul Biya knows who will finally have which house and at what price following application. This is a clear indication that the centralized system of the State is the major obstacle for low income earners in Cameroon to obtain apartments, because the minister who would have even made suggestions based on what he sees on the ground will have no means to do so.

Secondly this only shows how application files suffer in the hands of receivers, if you have any problem then you can address to the Head of State! Who the hell can do that?