Organisation of CHAN, AFCON Competitions: Stakeholders Tasked To Accelerate Works, Respect CAF Standards

By Doh Bertrand Nua

Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute has tasked stakeholders charged with the organisation of the 2021 Africa Nations Championship, CHAN and the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in Cameroon to accelerate work on sites that will host the two continental soccer events.

Organising committee members taking instructions from PM

The Head of Government was speaking in Yaounde Tuesday 1 December 2020 while chairing the 27th session of the local committee task with the organisation of the football competitions. 

The session focused on the completion of the various stadia to host the competition as well as recommendations made during the last visit by officials of the inspection team from the Confederation of African Football, CAF. 

Though it was generally agreed that Cameroon is ready to host the competitions, Dion Ngute instructed that finishing touches be made on some sites where works are still ongoing.

The PM instructed Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba of Water and Energy to ensure the supply of water and energy to all stadia and their annexes concern with the organisation of the competitions. 

Harping on the state of some of the playgrounds to be used, the PM tasked Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi of Sports and Physical Education to ensure the acceleration of works on all the pitches to meet CAF recommendations.  

Members also brainstormed on the traffic delays along the East entrance to Douala where the PM saluted the alternatives roads previewed by the Douala City Mayor to reduce traffic at the Japoma Stadium and invited the head of the police corps to work in collaboration with councils in all the different host cities not only to boost security but to fluidify traffic flow. 

He urged stakeholders to ensure total implementation of recommendations made by the last CAF inspection team including increase in COVID-19 surveillance in hotels, supply of water and energy and other technical issues. 

Sports and Physical Education Minister said there has been ongoing plans to multiply the number of rooms previewed for players to a room for each player as against a room for two as was initially programme due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He said each team will now have 33 players instead of 23 to avoid shortage of players in case of multiple COVID-19 positive cases within a team. He said less than 45 days to the competition the level of preparation is good.