The military engineering corps. A prominent actor in Cameroon’s development
Besides its missions of supporting mobility, aid in counter mobility and emergency deployment assistance, the Military Engineering Corps is a veritable actor of development in Cameroon. Its multitude of social projects is palpable all over the national territory.
Structured in five regiments (1st Military Engineering Regiment in Sangmelima, 2nd in Douala, 3rd in Douala, 4th in Kousseri, and 5th in Bamenda) and placed under the command of a Director, this component of the Cameroon Defence Forces have touch the minds and hearts of the Cameroon population who are ever lauding its efforts in constructing social infrastructures that will serves them in their day to day activity. Since its creation in 1962, the unit has carried out a series of key socio-economic projects. From 2016-2017, they rehabilitated the Douala and Maroua urban roads, the construction of the Ngaoundere Parcours Vita, passive communication networks and foot bridges in the Bakassi area, the Bertoua and Sangmelima modern markets and presently they are constructing the Mora-Dabanga -Kousseri road in the Far North region. This 205 km of road is financed by the World Bank. They are equally involved in building classrooms and boreholes for the local population in some divisions of the Far North Region. This has gone a long way to contribute to social stability especially in some villages that were deserted due to the consistent attacks of the terrorist group Boko Haram. With their heavy and light duty machines and well qualified staff, the combat engineers have shown their expertise and commitment in improving on the socio economic situation of their fatherland. The development they carried out in conflict arears have had the added reward of contributing to the overall security of the conflict area, for they provide direct assistance to the population.
The corps does not compete for the award of contracts or go seeking for contracts, they are called upon by investors due to the competence they have in accomplishing projects at the demanded time, at a cheaper cost and in hostile vicinities. Their engineers and technicians are mostly military personnel trained at the Higher Polytechnic Institute in Yaounde and the military engineer training school in Douala where they train and upgrade the skills of technicians.
Cynthia Efopa