Stakeholders involved in the preparation for Cameroon’s hosting of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will run from April 4 to 25, 2020 in the Yaounde, Douala and Limbe/Buea sites have to carry out  the final polishing up  operation in the coming days.

Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Joseph Dion Ngute on February 13, 2020 at the Star Building in Yaounde chaired an evaluation meeting to ascertain the level of preparedness for the event. During the meeting, Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi who doubles as the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee of COCAN 20-21, the President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), Seidou Mbombo Njoya and the Permanent Secretary of Organising Committee of the Cup of African Nations COCAN reportedly presented the state of preparedness.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi gave assurance as to the general operational and functional nature of the entire infrastructure and structures necessary for the good organisation of CHAN and by extension to the Africa Cup of  Nations (CAN) Cameroon will also host from January 9 to February 6, 2021. He said that after the CAF mission and in pursuance to its recommendations, Cameroon is almost ready. What remains, he said, is the polishing up works concerning water, telecommunications and other aspects that will be taken care of in the coming days. He said that organisation at the different levels is the continuous  preoccupation of the Technical Permanent structure of COCAN, not only at the central level but also at  the level of the four sites in which the championship will take place.  The Minister further specified that on Monday, February 17, 2020, the ceremony for the drawing of lots for the 16 national participating teams will take place at the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex in the presence among others of the Prime Minister, Head of Government who will be the personal representative of the President of the Republic.

Corroborating the Minister, the Coordinator of the Technical Operational Unit of CAN, Ewane François Félix said a lot has been done, stating that in the main stadia, 90 to 95 per cent of the work has been done. He said while constructing the stadia, they need to think of small repairs and maintenance. During the meeting, he presented the state of preparedness and indicated the aspects that have to be polished up to ensure the smooth functioning of the competition.