Critics are demanding transparency after JFF Equipement Forcier Cameroun Sarl was awarded an 8.226 billion FCFA contract to rehabilitate roads in Yaoundé 7 Subdivision with supporting documents such as technical studies and bidding terms, remaining suspiciously undisclosed, per sources.
A directive has been signed by the Minister of State, Secretar -General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, ordering the immediate allocation of road construction contracts worth 8.4 billion FCFA to two private companies. The document, cites an unspecified emergency as justification, bypassing standard public procurement procedures, according to experts in the industry. According to the official letter, JFF Equipement Forcier Cameroun Sarl has been awarded an 8.226 billion FCFA contract to rehabilitate roads in Yaoundé 7 subdivision, while Créa Consult received 246.8 million FCFA for technical supervision. The funding comes from the state’s security and development budget.
The reference to special contracts in the document has raised concerns, particularly since no public tender was conducted. Supporting documents, such as technical studies and bidding terms, remain undisclosed. The mayor of Yaoundé 7 was given 72 hours to implement the presidential directive. Critics are demanding transparency. The Cameroonian Anti-Corruption Association has called for full disclosure of the technical files, while opposition MPs are considering referring the matter to the Audit Court. The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, ARMP, which normally oversees such processes, was not involved.
This development comes amid Cameroon’s record domestic debt of 3,900 billion FCFA and heightened IMF scrutiny over public spending. The Ministry of Finance has yet to comment on the controversial award. Questions remain about potential ties between the beneficiary firms and government officials, as well as the exact nature of the alleged emergency. Observers are awaiting official explanations for this irregular allocation.
