Estates Co-ownership: Ministers Examine Olembe Site

 The field tour on Tuesday was to evaluate effectively how different people can stay together peacefully

After talking about the theoretical components of estates co-ownership, on Tuesday May 30, 2017, the Ministers of State Property, Survey and Land Tenure and that of Urban Development and Housing, alongside some notaries and land surveyors made a visit at the Olembe Low-cost Housing Estate in Yaounde. The aim was to see clearly the layout of the different apartments, what constitutes communal zones for occupants (the elevator, external space, roof, electricity and water networks) as well as individual space (living rooms, walls and dining rooms amongst others).
For close to an hour, the Minister of State Property, Survey and Land Tenure, Jacqueline Koung a Bessike and Jean Claude Mbwentchou of Urban Development and Housing explored the Olembe Low-cost Housing Estate with in-depth explanation from experts of the International Geographic Institute of France on how estates co-ownership can be successful at the site. Koung a Bessike said there is need for collective discipline to be put in place so that those who will be living in such buildings do so happily. Because the site has over 30 buildings with several apartments, instead of putting in place one management trade union for each apartment, measures will be taken to regroup apartments under a particular trade union. About the two Water Purification Stations at the Olembe site, the Minister of State Property, Survey and Land Tenure underscored that teams from the different trade unions operating at the site will be in charge of handling the water stations. According to Jacqueline Koung a Bessike, monetary contributions will be needed from owners of different apartments for the trade union to effectively operate.
One of the shortcomings at the Olembe site is the lack of a parking space for cars. The Technical Adviser No 2 at the Ministry of State Property, Surveys, and Land Tenure, Shu-Azieh Cornelius says being a pilot phase, such errors will not be repeated in future projects. Apartments at the Olembe layout will be identified with a number and name of the owner. This is to facilitate the work of the surveyors when there is a problem between two parties.  One of the notaries at the field visit, Justice Ebah Ntoko said they are in a learning process, which will enable them know what to do when faced with handling contracts on estates co-ownership.

Pierre Becque: « La copropriété est un mode vie qu’il faut apprendre »

Expert international

Peut-on penser au terme de votre séminaire à Yaoundé que le Cameroun a gagné en matière de copropriété ?

Il existe déjà un texte au Cameroun sur la copropriété. Ce texte est un bel effort de la part du gouvernement camerounais. Il faut à présent qu’il soit confronté à la réalité sur le terrain. Mais de toute façon c’est déjà un premier pas. Car les textes sont très complets. Ce qu’il faut maintenant, c’est démarrer la copropriété, dans les faits, dans la vie quotidienne. Il n y a donc pas à proprement parler de modification de texte, juste quelques petites suggestions d’amélioration que nous avons données au ministère. Notamment pour apprendre aux Camerounais à vivre en copropriété, parce que ce n’est jamais facile de vivre en colle...