The Cameroonian Minister of Public Contracts, Abba Sadou, stated that 6,658 public contracts were signed in 2013, which represents 90% of planned procurement for that budgetary period. Interviewed on Cameroon public radio about the reasons behind the limited use of the public investment budget (PIB) for the previous year (which was lower than 50% according to President Biya), Minister Abba Sadou attempted to explain that his ministerial department was in no way an obstacle to efficient PIB usage.
For a number of years, funds allotted for public investment in Cameroon have been paradoxically under-utilised while the country struggles under the burden of significant infrastructural problems. In 2013, the rate was even lower due to the coming into effect of the Budget Programme whose mechanism had not been fully assimilated by many public credit managers.
Experts have always blamed the lengthy procedures in place for the under-utilisation of the PIB, a problem which persists despite various reforms that have been implemented. In 2014, 1,000 billion FCfa will be allotted for the PIB, in accordance with the Finance Act.