The government of Cameroon in partnership with the European Union has drawn up a project to woo private investors to invest in renewable energy so as to bridge the wide demand/supply gap in rural electricity. The 36-month project Invest’€lec worth about FCFA one billion jointly financed by the European Union (75 per cent) and the Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency, ARSEL, (25 per cent) was officially launched yesterday April 12 at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel.
Energy and Water Resources Minister, Basile Atangana Kouna chaired the ceremony attended among others by the Minister Delegate in charge of Rural Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Clémentine Ananga Messina and the Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation in Cameroon, Raul Mateus Paula.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Basile Atangana Kouna said the project was timely, given the growth vision of the country and the new electricity law promulgated last year. Like the Minister, Raul Mateus Paula said energy supply is a veritable catalyst for development and that partnering with government for the Invest’Elec programme was synonymous with boosting rural development, contributing to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and rolling back poverty. A view corroborated by the General Manager of ARSEL, Jean – Pierre Kedi and his counterpart of FEICOM, Akoa Philippe Camille who alongside other stakeholders of rural development, also signed partnership deals at the ceremony.
The programme is drawn up by ARSEL with technical collaboration of a firm, Etude Engineering Development (EED). According to the fact file of the project, it seeks to build the capacities of Cameroonian small and medium-size enterprises in view of inciting them to invest in renewable energy and rural electrification, promote private/public sector partnerships as well as engendering sustainable development in the sector. After yesterday’s inaugural, stakeholders say capacity-building workshops in the various regions and an international knowledge-sharing forum are in view to better arm private investors. Those interested would be drilled on drawing up and creating small energy plants. Garoua, Ngaoundere, Yaounde, Douala and Bamenda are pilot centres.
Source: Cameroon Tribune
