The Bamenda II Council has begun feasibility work with Global Ventures of North America (GVNA) on a proposed waste-to-energy project aimed at improving waste management, generating energy, and creating employment in the Bamenda II Municipality, Mezam Division, in the North West Region.
The partnership follows several years of discussions and engagements between Bamenda II Mayor Peter Chenwi and representatives of GVNA and its partners in North America.
Speaking at the launch of the feasibility studies at the Bamenda II Council Hall on Saturday, August 8, 2026, Mayor Peter Chenwi said the initiative was the result of sustained efforts to attract development projects to the municipality.
He said his engagement with Canadian authorities and partners began in 2022, including trips undertaken with the authorization of his councillors to explore possible cooperation and investment opportunities. He said the process involved background checks and several rounds of discussions before the partnership reached its current stage.
Emmanuel Ntoko, GVNA's Regional Director for Africa and Country Director for the Cameroon project, said the organization had moved beyond promises and was now focused on implementation.
“I didn't come to Bamenda to promise you again,” Ntoko told participants, saying he would remain in Bamenda until work on the project begins.
He said GVNA's chief executive, Stephen L. Williams, and engineering partners from WSP were expected to join the process after the necessary preparatory work had been completed. Emmanuel Ntoko said the immediate priority was to verify the land allocated for the project, complete the required documentation and prepare technical reports before the wider project team arrives.
According to him, the proposed facility is expected to use appropriately managed waste as a resource for energy production while also addressing sanitation challenges in the city. He said the project's success would not be measured only by the construction of a facility but also by the jobs created, skills transferred to Cameroonians, opportunities for local businesses and improvements in public health and sanitation.
Michelle Beck, Community Development Director, and Local Operating Partner.
Michelle Beck, Community Development Director and Local Operating Partner, presented a broader development concept that would link waste-to-energy with water systems, renewable and distributed power, digital connectivity and productive-use infrastructure.
She said the partners were proposing an integrated approach rather than isolated projects, with Bamenda II potentially serving as a demonstration site for a model that could later be adapted elsewhere in Africa.
The proposed next steps include a baseline assessment of the quantity and composition of waste in the municipality, existing collection and disposal practices, seasonal variations, potential project sites, energy demand and applicable environmental and regulatory requirements.
The partners also intend to establish a joint feasibility and project-development roadmap, designate focal points among the participating institutions and create a regular coordination mechanism with measurable milestones.
Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh, welcomed the partnership, describing the proposed project as a major opportunity for the municipality and the wider Bamenda area.
Mooh said the project could generate employment, improve environmental conditions and contribute to sustainable development. He also said the feasibility process would determine the project's requirements, including land and waste supply.
During the ceremony, local traditional authorities expressed support for the initiative and offered to facilitate access to land for the project.
The Fon of Nsongwa, HRH Fonguh Emmanuel Ndi Fonwade III, said the community was prepared to provide land and the peaceful environment needed for the project to proceed.
Mayor Chenwi also acknowledged the support of traditional authorities in Nsongwa, Chomba, Mbatu and Mankon, as well as the administration of Mezam.
The SDO said the Paramount Fon of Mankon had offered about 20 hectares of land, while other traditional authorities had indicated their willingness to provide additional land if required.
The feasibility studies of a project to the tune of $500 million dollars, with the equivalent of 500 billion FCFA, are expected to establish the technical, environmental and financial requirements of the proposed project before full implementation.
The initiative is being presented by the partners as a potential first-of-its-kind waste-to-energy project in Cameroon, with ambitions extending beyond Bamenda to other African communities.
@Laarry Times
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