Douala, Cameroon Africa. December 2010 (Cameroon News)  -  A set of companies from South Korea is all set to design a plan to enhance rail connectivity in the country.

Mr Paul Tasong permanent secretary at the economy ministry spoke to the press today stating that a set of companies which operate out of South Korea are all geared up to design a plan that will work towards improving the present railway network in the country. The project is slated to be completed by May 2011.

Mr Tasong said that the present railway network did not do much to connect certain salient points in the country.

The plan that would be deployed by the South Korean firms would essentially be used to improve the connectivity between major power projects like the Lom Panga hydroelectric reservoir in the east and the Memve’ele hydroelectric project in the south, as well as the numerous iron ore and bauxite mines in the aforesaid regions.

He added that “The government wants to regulate the system, layout the rules and set out the standards for potential companies to follow.”

At this point it would good to understand that the country just has one principal railway network that was designed and constructed sometime around the colonial era.

This rail network essentially commences from the industrial hub and main business center as well as one of the principal ports of the country Douala to Ngaoundere that is located right at the core of the country.

A railway network in the less accessible regions would typically solve the various connectivity and transportation issues that industries and mines in those areas face when it comes to carrying raw material or transporting workers to the regions which presently are considered quite remote because of lack of proper connectivity.