(Business in Cameroon) - The Cameroon Local Materials Promotion Authority (Mipromalo) inaugurated last November 29 its headquarters in Yaoundé. The ceremony was presided over by Madeleine Tchuinté, the Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation.

The particularity of this two-story building, built on a little more than 800 m2, is that it is made from local materials. It is built with stabilized clay bricks, covered by a wooden frame and tiles called "micro-concrete", the fruit of the research of the Mipromalo.

"This building highlights different types of materials, which is likely to provide thermal and acoustic comfort to its occupants. Comparative economic gains have been achieved," said Minister Tchuinté. Indeed, using local materials has helped reduce the construction cost by about 20%, we learned.

However, despite these advantages of clay bricks and although Mipromalo has always called for their use for house constructions in Cameroon, people still largely use concrete blocks. Also, despite the existence of a circular signed in 2007 by the Prime Minister, which prescribes the use of local materials in public building projects, the concrete block unfortunately continues to be the preferred material of the Cameroonian state. "As long as the State does not ensure that local materials are favored in its projects, it will be difficult for Cameroonians to adopt them," deplores an official of Mipromalo.

BRM