Prolong delays over the appointment of a management team of the still to be constructed Limbe Deep Seaport project promised over 30 years ago by President Paul Biya and the reconstruction of the National Oil Refinery, SONARA, were top among the concerns raised at the just ended June session of parliament by Hon. Findi Stanley Mokondo, one of the two MPs for Fako East Constituency (Limbe, Muyuka & Tiko).
The MP took to the rostrum Tuesday 6 July 2021 to demand answers from Finance Minister, Louis Paul Motaze as to when government intends to appoint a team to manage the seaport project as were as launch the reconstruction of SONARA after the fire incident that hit the refinery. It was during budgetary orientation debate.
Reacting to the concerns, Motaze said the Limbe Deep Seaport is one of the projects in the transport sector. He said delays in the appointment of a management team for port is as a result of the feasibility studies that have to be done that are taking a lot of time. He said contrary to widespread beliefs, the Kribi Deep Seaport was not constructed because a management structure.
“A management team for the Kribi Deep Seaport was put in place after the completion of feasibility studies. The management team simply came to implement what had been studied. And these studies took about 30 years. These studies are quite long but I will want to tell you that the Minister of Economy will tell you more about the reflections ongoing to make the Limbe Deep Seaport a reality at the level of the MINEPAT,” said Motaze. He disclosed that the plan to reconstruct SONARA is pending approval at the Presidency of the Republic.
“….the problem with SONARA is that it does not have the technology to refine our crude. That is why we import crude…as such, a project was launched to technically restructure SONARA. The project was to be realized in two phases. The first phase had been realized at about 98 percent. We were about to launch the second phase when the fire incident occurred. At the moment, we have launched a technical audit which has made proposals to government,” Motaze said, adding that an inter-ministerial commission had met and transmitted its proposals to the hierarchy as to the kind of technology SONARA needs.
“We will soon get to select an enterprise to provide us with this technology. As soon as the report sent to the presidency is approved, the reconstruction of SONARA will begin. For the moment, SONARA is obliged to buy, import petrol from elsewhere,” Motaze added.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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