By Adedapo Adesanya
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved grants worth about $43.5 million for the construction of a bridge to connect Cameroon and Chad across the Logone river.
The grants from AfDB comprising a $22.6 million tranche for Cameroon and $20.9 million for Chad were approved on April 30.
The facility is from the Investment Facility for Africa under a framework agreement between the bank and the European Commission.
According to a statement Mr Kwasi Kpodo, the Communication and External Relations Department of the bank, the funds will co-finance the costs of construction of the bridge between Yagoua in Cameroon and Bongor in Chad.
In addition, it will also help build access roads and be used in feasibility studies and management.
“The bridge, once completed, is expected to bolster bilateral and sub-regional integration and cross-border trade, safeguard life and property during the river crossing and boost socio-cultural ties between the two countries.
“Specifically, the project aims to promote interstate trade, particularly between Cameroon and Chad, reduce travel time and transportation costs, and improve accessibility of basic services by nearby communities,” it was noted.
In addition to the Logone river bridge, other projects under the Pillar Assessed Grant or Delegation Agreement (PAGODA) include the rehabilitation of the Lome-Cotonou road, road development and transport facilitation on the Bamako-San Pedro corridor between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire and the rehabilitation of the CU2a community road section in Burkina Faso near the border with Niger.
The bank and the European Commission said they are committed to co-financing development projects that tackle poverty by investing in critical infrastructure to promote seamless connectivity of transport, energy and ICT.
AfDB has been supporting and financing several projects on the continent. The bank has spent a huge amount of money to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to poverty reduction.
Modupe Gbadeyanka