Illegal Occupation Of Airport Sites: PM Instructs Urgent Restoration Programme

“The Prime Minister, Head of Government, His Excellency Joseph Dion Ngute, chaired a Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 10.00 am in the Auditorium of the Prime Minister's Office, attended by Ministers of State, Ministers, Ministers Delegate, and Secretaries of State. The following items featured on the agenda: 1. Statement by the Minister of Transport on "stakes and challenges on the preservation of land reserves and state-owned property in the process of securing Cameroon's interna­ tional airports"; 2. Statement by the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure on "measures to prevent and address unauthorized occupation of airport land"; 3. Miscellaneous. Following the opening address by the Head of Government, the Minister of Transport presented an overview of the security measures in place at airports across the country. His presentation highlighted the significant efforts made by Go­ vernment in recent years in the areas of land demarcation and registration, the construction of security fences around airport sites, the legal regularisation of land use, and raising awareness among local communities. Despite these measures, difficulties persist, par­ ticularly as a result of unauthorised occupation and numerous land disputes. According to the relevant platforms, reports point to illegal construc­ tion and encroachment by local residents, expo­ sing airport facilities to a constant risk of damage, fire or destruction, while also jeopardising their potential for future expansion. In this regard, the Minister of Transport empha­ sised that these constraints give rise to several categories of risk. First, they affect infrastructure maintenance and the safety of air operations, which must comply with the standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, particularly with regard to compliance with ae­ ronautical easements. Secondly, the spread of urbanisation in the im­ mediate vicinity of runways exposes local resi­ dents to noise pollution, the effects of jet blast, the potential projection of debris in the event of an incident, and the potentially more severe consequences of an aircraft accident. Finally, aviation and airport security requirements necessitate the elimination of vulnerabilities that could facilitate acts of malice, sabotage, theft of equipment or other attacks on critical infrastructure. At the end of his presentation, the Minister of Transport called for better coordination among the relevant authorities in order to censure the: long-term preservation of the airport sector and, consequently, enhance the safety and security of air navigation. Taking the floor next, the Minister of State Pro­ perty, Surveys and Land Tenure gave an overview of the land situation at Cameroon's various air­ ports, where land consolidation work is ongoing. In particular, he noted that, depending on the site, the major shortcoming remains the lack of comprehensive physical security measures for airport grounds. To address unauthorised occu­ pation. one of the main measures implemented in recent years has been the classification of airport sites as part of the States artificial public domain, with a view to provid...