Under the leadership of the Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston ÉLOUNDOU ESSOMBA, representing the Prime Minister, the Bamenda Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Filling Center was inaugurated on May 9, 2025. This strategic infrastructure realizes President Paul BIYA’s vision of equitable access to modern energy, while marking a decisive step towards sustainable development and social stability in the North West of Cameroon.
Friday, May 9, 2025, will remain etched in the history of the city of Bamenda. The Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston ÉLOUNDOU ESSOMBA, inaugurated the new LPG Filling Center, in the presence of several members of the government, administrative, traditional, and military authorities, as well as officials from the CSPH and the SCDP. This event is in line with the High Instructions of President Paul BIYA aimed at improving the living conditions of the population and promoting clean energy. The ceremony was marked by a solemn atmosphere: the national anthem, ecumenical prayer, traditional rituals, and institutional speeches preceded the ribbon cutting. The speeches highlighted the essential role of this infrastructure in the implementation of the policy of decentralization and territorial equity.
Built by the Hydrocarbon Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH), the Bamenda Filling Center is a strategic lever for strengthening the region’s energy autonomy. It will notably: Guarantee the continued availability of domestic gas in the Northwest; Stabilize prices, combat speculation and improve purchasing power; Reduce pressure on forests by substituting firewood; Protect household health by facilitating access to clean energy; Generate approximately 1,000 direct and indirect jobs; Relieve congestion at existing facilities, particularly the Bafoussam depot.
This infrastructure illustrates the State’s commitment to meeting citizens’ expectations in terms of basic services, while pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Beyond its economic and environmental benefits, the project has significant symbolic significance for regional stability. Once shaken by sociopolitical tensions, the Northwest region now benefits from an infrastructure that embodies the gradual return of peace and cohesion advocated by the Head of State. The Minister urged the population to adopt domestic gas, highlighting the positive impact on public health and the environment. He also called for prioritizing local employment to promote the integration of the region’s youth into the ongoing economic dynamic.
With this inauguration, the Cameroonian government reaffirms its commitment to providing concrete solutions to the challenges of energy, local development, and national cohesion. The Bamenda LPG Filling Center is much more than a technical facility: it symbolizes a proactive policy of equitable modernization of the territory. At the end of the ceremony, donations were presented to the local population, adding a touch of solidarity to this important moment. With this new milestone, Cameroon, under the leadership of President Paul BIYA, is moving resolutely toward a future of peace, shared prosperity, and national emergence by 2035.
