2019 AFCON : COCAN meets ahead of CAF’s inspection mission
Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, President of the Local Organising Committee of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (COCAN), Bidoung Mpkwatt, has reiterated that Cameroon is ready to host the football event.
The Sports boss made this declaration Monday 8th January 2018 during the COCAN evaluation meeting summoned on the sidelines of the arrival of the CAF’s first inspection team to Cameroon on Thursday 11th January 2018.
The evaluation meeting which COCAN described as real business was a platform for all the sub-committees to detail out their functions and plan of action as spelt out by the local organising committee.
First to take to the floor was the President of the Normalistaion Commiittee at FECAFOOT,Barrister Dieudonne Happi who elaborately read out the missions of the various sub-committees of COCAN in reference to CAF standards.
He noted with emphasis that the guidelines for the competition must strictly be respected in line with CAF’s regulations.
According to him, the sub-committees are: Health,Transport,Telecommunication,Food and Lodging,Public Relations,Marketing,Security,Ticketing,Event,Infrastructure,Translation and Interpretation,Competition amongst others.
He said all the committees are to ensure the avaliability of facilities like communication and internet,food,leisure sites,security,health facilities and many more for the participating teams and their accompanying delegations.
After listening to the FECAFOOT President spell out the demands of CAF,the Minister of Sports in a rather reassuring tone said the Head of State of Cameroon and all Cameroonians are fully engaged to make the 2019 AFCON a memorable one.
In reaction,the members of the Normalisation Committee at FECAFOOT presented a series of difficulties facing their state of progress.
The Minister came back once more insisting that emphasis be laid on Security,Marketing,Transportation,ICT and Lodging.
In a patriotic tone he pleaded with the members to do their best to convince the CAF inspection team of the readiness of the country for the football jamboree.
The Minister was later guided to the COCAN headquaters in Yaounde
Just to recall that, the CAF first mission is made up of a nine member team of diversified experts.
The programme schedule indicates that the inspection team will tour the sites and facilities to host the 24-teams during their twelve day soujourn inCameroon.
Accordingly, the team will visit the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium and the Olembe Stadium on January 12th and 13th.
The team will later travel to Garoua on January 14th and 15th and move to Bafoussam on the 16th January 2018.
On the 18th and 19th,the inspection team will make appraisal of the works at the Jopoma and the Douala reunification Stadium undergoing rehabilition.
From there, the delegation will go to Buea and Limbe on January 20 and 21st to furtther inspect the facilities sidelined to play host during the big football event.
The crew returns to Yaounde where they will spend the 22nd to rest and on 23rd January 2018 the visiting delegates will visit the CAF Excellence Centre in Mbankomo to mark an end to their stay in Cameroon.
Benly Anchunda.