Socioeconomic Impacts of Land Conflicts Around the PAEPYS Project on the Eastern Outskirts of Yaoundé, Centre Region Cameroon

Socioeconomic Impacts of Land Conflicts Around the PAEPYS Project on the Eastern Outskirts of Yaoundé, Centre Region Cameroon

Alix Marcel Ottok Molemba¹, Paul Tchawa², Yvette Ndzana Essengue³, Hycinth Ndze Ngong⁴, Ngoumgang Ntang Martial⁵

^1,2,5PhD, Department of Geography, The University of Yaounde

³Postgraduate Student, Department of Geography, The University of Yaounde

⁴Department of Geography and Planning, The University of Bamenda

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0146

Received: 21 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 07 April 2025

ABSTRACT

Launched in 2017 from the Sanaga River in the Obala Subdivision, the potable water supply project for the city of Yaoundé and its surroundings (PAEPYS), whose primary objective is to supply the populations of Nkometou, Minkama, Nkol-fep, Nkol-mélen , Mindjomo , Nfomakap , Mboua , Nkolguem , Ekokom ,located on the eastern outskirts of the city of Yaoundé which hosts the said project, is at the origin of several land problems. These land problems are the result of land issues observed around the major construction sites associated with the project which influence the socio-economic development of these localities. The problem posed is that of the fallout or impacts of land conflicts on socio-economic development in Obala. The general objective of this study is to assess the socio-economic fallout of land problems around PAEPYS. The systemic approach was adopted for this study. We approached 380 households (informants) from different sectors of activity such as the agricultural, public and private sectors. The use of data from field surveys made it possible to note that on the eastern outskirts of Yaoundé, the issues of access to land around PAEPYS exacerbate land problems, which have an impact on the socio-economic development of the locality such as the…

INTRODUCTION

The multiplication of development projects that Cameroon in the city of Yaoundé is experiencing, especially in the north-eastern suburbs, has caused a significant demographic rush never seen in the last ten years. This is the case of the PAEPYS project, PORC SEC in Nkol-Mélen , interchange roundabout of Nkol-Mélen located 41.2km and 46km from the capital city and more precisely on the north-eastern outskirts of Yaoundé. Among these projects of great importance for development, PAEPYS caught our attention. Indeed, the implementation of this project led to a race for land with land issues that opened the way to land predators never seen before. This undoubtedly justifies the land problems encountered around the project before and after its implementation and their impacts on the socio-economic development of this locality. Furthermore, this conurbation corridor is experiencing rapid urban sprawl in the face of increasingly attractive projects. This explains the growing proportion of city dwellers brought to live farther from their place​​​ of work, which broadens urbanized areas. Ndock Ndock (2013) is a clear example. Such dynamics is primarily observed in Cameroon’s big cities with an attractive appearance in the face of the opportunities they offer regardless of their geographical locations. More and more, Yaounde faces this situation of peri-urbanization where competition for land is more prevalent. The stakes are different with considerable effects on the future of the new territories. This study questions the socio-economic repercussions of the land problems observed around PAEPYS.

For several years, a good number of development projects have emerged in Cameroon on the eastern outskirts of the city of Yaoundé; specifically, in Obala. As soon as they were implemented, these projects led to significant population growth in the face of land issues that are also visible, where a group of actors with diverse land appetites are rushing. Nevertheless, it appears that PAEPYS appears to be the most representative of all due to the significant demographic dynamics and the increasingly important land issues that have been observed since its implementation. On this subject, Ngana and Pabame . (2009) already observed that population growth, migratory flows and the development of commercial agriculture contribute to strong land dynamics. Further still and in the same dynamic, Assako Assako (2011) estimated that in a context of land competition in the city of Yaoundé, the dynamics of mutual perceptions of actors, linked to new land issues and competing strategies, generate conflicts of use and neighborhood. On the other hand, the implementation of the project led to significant land competition, a corollary of multiple land problems have repercussions on the socioeconomic development of Obala. The data analysis gave rise to thematic trends that organize our work. Thus, we (1) present the nature of the land problems encountered in the face of the rise in land insecurity around PAEPYS, then identify the types of land conflicts around PAEPYS (2), and finally (3) assess the impacts of land conflicts on socioeconomic development.

Theoretical and methodological framework

The theoretical approach on which this study is based dwells on the relationship or interactions that oppose the actors around the stake in place. Thus, the theory of the strategic actor of Crozier and Friedberg (1992), allowed us, among other things, to understand how and why a group can be formed and the strategies it uses to collect an empirical data on the question of collective action in direct connection with individual strategies within an organization. Indeed, it highlights the relationship between the actors around the issue of access to land around PAEPYS on the eastern outskirts of Yaoundé.

From the spatial framework of the study

The PAEPYS project is located in the Obala Subsivision. It is bordered to the north by the subdivisions of Sa’a and Monatélé ; to the south by the subdivision of Okola , to the west by the subdivision of Elig Mfomo , to the East by the subdivisions of Batchenga, Edzendouan , Soa and Yaoundé I. In relation to the surrounding villages, this project is limited to the North by Minkama IV, to the South by the Foulassi , to the West by Mboua and Nkoledouma and to the East by Nkolbot . It is surrounded by neighborhoods structured as follows: to the North-East we have Minkama I between 3° 8° and 2° 12° East longitude; 4°22 and 4°10 North latitude groups the Haoussa neighborhoods; to the South-East BIkok -Assi (figure 1).

Figure 1: Location map of the PAEPYS project

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

The documentary review

The documentary review was carried out first at the level of the Obala Council where we used the CDP data from 2015 to 2018. At the level of the libraries of the Yaoundé City Council (former Urban Council), we obtained data relating to population dynamics. Through the libraries of the Universities of Yaoundé I, we used academic works on the Obala Council and documents published online by the Chinese companies SINOMACH, SEURECA and BETEM involved in the implementation of the project, making an inventory of the impact study carried out before the implementation of the project.

Data collection

The data used in this study are mainly made up of secondary sources notably from academic works, land documents. Primary sources were derived from field investigations at the end of which we sampled a certain number of households in the Nkometou , Minkama , Nkol-mélen , Nkol-fep ,Mindjomo subdivisions. A total of 380 households were sampled. The type of sampling used was probability sampling. Here our probability sampling method used is the systematic simple random method where each household had an equal chance of being included or selected. In addition, these field data were supplemented by interviews with a certain number of resource persons, including five (05) in particular: the sub-divisional officer of Obala, the Divisional Delegate of Lands for the Lékié, the Mayor of the of Obala Council, the Director of the PAEPYS project, and the heads of sampled subdivisions located around the project. The systemic sample was used in the context of this study which is an approach that enabled the researcher to observe the relationships between the elements without dwelling on the elements themselves, because its objective was to understand the entirety of a situation in order to be able to identify possible solutions that meet the challenges.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The rise in land insecurity since the establishment of PAEPYS: A window to multiple land problems

Faced with the population dynamics observed today around the major development projects undertaken in Obala such as PAEPYS, increased land insecurity was observed. Indeed, the modes of access to land observed over the last five years since the implementation of development projects and the saturation of urban centers such as Yaoundé in terms of access to land show that several forms of land transactions are taking place in the sampled villages/neighborhoods. According to nearly 46% of the population, these forms of land transactions, most of which are illegal, have gained ground since the implementation of development projects leading to a significant influx of migrants. They become more involved in the race for access to land in this city. Furthermore, these land transactions are developing evidence of competition for access to and control of land in Obala, thus exposing migrants to legal and land insecurities. These competitions for access to land and the ever-increasing land insecurity are the consequences of the land problems noticed in the villages around the project.

Land problems encountered in the villages of Fomakap and Nkometou

In these villages, the populations are angry about the problems of double sales on the same land title which is very widespread in these villages. Among the observations made, we also note the problem of contesting the boundaries as one of the difficulties encountered by the populations. The figure below presents the problems encountered by the populations in the villages/neighborhoods of Fomakap and Nkometou 2 and 3. Figure 2 highlights the land problems encountered in Nfomakap , Nkometou 3 and Nkometou 2.

Source: Field Work (2023)

Figure 2: Land issues encountered in Nfomakap , Nkometou 3 and Nkometou 2

Figure 2 shows that the Nfomakap , Nkometou 3 and Nkometou 2 districts have the same realities regarding land issues in the Obala Municipality . Except that these realities differ from one area to another; in Nfomakap for example, boundary disputes occupy 66% against 33% in Nkometou 2 and 12.8% in Nkometou 3. Further away, evictions are more significant in Nkometou 2 with more than 69.3% because it is the area that houses the entire PAEPYS project, both the water pumping station and the energy transformation station, against 13.7% shared between Nfomakap and Nkometou 2. Furthermore, double sales should not be neglected; because afterwards they are more representative in Nfomakap and Nkometou 3 at between 30.7% and 57% in Nkometou 2. All these problems mentioned above sufficiently show that the implementation of development projects in Obala, has engineered land problems that have an impact on land security.

Towards Land problems encountered in Nkol-Feb , Nkol guem 1 and Ekokom

In these villages, there is a strong dominance of indigenous people, the main landowners. The information obtained indicates that these villages, which are mainly made up of indigenous people, are sometimes hostile to foreigners; but with the rapid urban sprawl in the peripheral areas, there is a rush of stakeholders from all sides who are appropriating the land. This also reveals the difficulties encountered by new landowners in acquiring land. Figure 3 presents the land problems encountered in Ekokom, Nkol-feb, and Nkolguem1.

Source: Field surveys (2023)

Figure 3: Land problems encountered in Ekokom , Nkol-Feb and Nkol-Guem 1

Looking at Figure 3, the realities seem​​​​​​ to be​​​ the same. In​​​ the​​ three quarters​​​​​ studied, it is ​​noted​​ that the​​ refusal of indigenous people and protests of​ boundaries​​​​ constitute the major problem observed​ in this part of the Obala Council​​ (60% of case​s at Ekokom and​ 72 % of the​ case​ at Nkol-Guem 1). The​​ doubles​​​​ sales are very widespread in Nkol – Guem 1. Furthermore, in Nkol -Feb, family opposition and refusals by natives are widespread with 62% and 28% of the population attesting to the fact. There​ particularity of the Ekokom and Nkol -Feb neighborhoods are related to the fact that most of the problems encountered, namely 10%, are double sales and boundary disputes. These problems arise following the arrival of new owners after the implementation of development projects.

Land problems encountered in Nkol villages Melen and Minkama

These two villages are the most vulnerable in terms of land. Indeed, it is in these villages that the highest number of land problems have been recorded due to the implementation of development projects. According to field observations and investigations, most of the development projects are implemented in these villages, more precifically at Nkol-Mélen, which is home to the PORT-SEC project, the flyover roundabout and the project to build the largest feed mill in Africa (BELGOCAM). Figure 4 below highlights the land problems encountered in Minkama and Nkol-mélen .

Source: Field surveys (2023)

Figure 4: Problems encountered in Minkama and Nkol-Mélen

The reality observed in Figure 4 shows that in Nkol-Mélen as in Minkama the land problems encountered are real. Evictions constitute the main land problems encountered by the populations of the Minkama and Nkol-Mélen districts as reported by 60% of the population. According to 66% of the populations, these evictions are orchestrated by the implementation of a certain number of projects that directly affect these villages. Furthermore, the destruction of habitats and double sales are not only evidence of the launch of work on said projects in the surveyed districts but also of the strong land pressures observed around the construction sites. The Minkama district stands out with 25% in terms of destruction of habitats against 15% for double sales; Furthermore, the Nkol-Mélen district, the main location where all these projects are concentrated with 65% of double sales and destruction of habitats at 50% each, which sufficiently demonstrates that the proximity of the project has opened a window to the multiple land problems encountered in these districts.

Towards land problems encountered in the villages of Mindjomo and Mboua

These are villages/neighborhoods located in urban areas where there is strong land pressure. In these villages, land competition reveals several conflict nodes that most often pit competing actors against each other. Further, results show that the majority of land problems observed in this area are most often linked to boundary disputes and double sales. Figure 5 below presents the land problems encountered in Mboua and Mindjomo.

Source: Field surveys, 2023

Figure 5: Land issues encountered in Mboua and Mindjomo

 Faced with the many challenges of owning a piece of land and the land pressures observed due to the problem of land availability in the center and the increase in development projects in Obala, there is a progressive land competition in Mboua and Mindjomo. These growing land competitions are the results of a certain number of land problems encountered in these areas. In Mboua, for example, 75% of the land problems encountered are boundary disputes.

On the other hand, in Mindjomo, it is quite the opposite, double sales are very common in this area not only because of the scarcity of land in the surrounding area but also because of the land pressures observed. Furthermore, boundary disputes are also linked to double sales because most providers after subdivisions encroach on plots of land they have before selling them to third parties. Further, the problem of boundary disputes also arises after the sale of the land when the applicant realizes that the boundaries proposed by the provider are not the same when he decides to make developments or new demarcations. Figure 6 below presents the nature of the problems encountered in Obala

Source: Field survey results, 2023

Figure 6: Nature of the problems encountered

Figure 6 illustrates that the majority of land problems encountered in Obala are 54.67% disputes over plot boundaries, the destruction of crops, eviction and destruction of buildings. Apart from these problems mentioned above, there is also the problem of double sale on the same land title, the superposition of rights at the origin of many land conflicts. According to the population, these land problems of different natures are visible in Obala since the rapid advancement of the city and the demographic pressure observed in Obala over the last five years.

Towards land conflicts around the PAEPYS project

The migratory trends observed around the development projects on the north-eastern outskirts of Yaoundé have not changed the configuration of land conflicts in Obala. Rather, they have increased the risks with the pressure exerted by the new actors often clinked to land-related malpractices and other natural resources. In Obala, the land field become the object of conflicts between different groups of actors present on the social strata. The arrival of migrants, most of whom have become land providers, has been accompanied by a gradual modification of the systems of social and practical representations around land, which puts them in conflict with the host populations. The access to land competitions observed since the implementation of development projects create social fractures that sometimes weaken intra-family and inter-family ties within the same community, thus exacerbating land conflicts. Furthermore, it is important to note that the presence of non-indigenes on a territory is not always viewed favorably by local populations, especially when the stakes are as high as those visible in Obala. This is what justifies the idea of Farrugia (1999), who already pointed out that the “social bond” that constitutes the foundation on which harmony in any human society must rest has gradually broken down to give way to contradictions; to major social confrontations in the face of the stakes that land represents. Figure 7 highlights the land conflict scenario.

Source​​​​: Brathold, 201 6

Figure 7: Land conflict scenario

There are a host of land conflicts over the methods of access to land in the Obala Council since the advent of current development projects. These land conflicts very often put various actors at loggerheads in the struggle for ownership, speculations, applications, land registration and elite ship.

Conflicts between facilitators/Notary and between populations/buyers

Conflicts between facilitators/notary

These are conflicts that most often arise during arrangements between buyers and notaries when signing a certificate of sale. This type of conflict is regular at the Monatélé court and most of the time is the subject of a summary judgment. This conflict most often arises during the procedure of a notarial sale during which the buyer signs a memorandum of understanding with the public notary, who signs a certificate of sale and subsequently initiates the technical file on the plot or parcel in question in return of a portion of the said plot. In the majority of cases, these are large plots with areas of around 10 hectares and more. The two parties having reached an agreement sign the agreement; when the land title is available, the buyer proceeds with the subdivision of the plots and subsequently for sale. When this act is noted by the notary, the conflict arises and the notary therefore initiates legal proceedings asking the court to withdraw the land title of the disputed plots.

Conflicts between populations/buyers

Land conflicts between buyers and facilitators are common in the Obala Council area. Indeed, these conflicts arise during land arrangements between buyers and the population, which in most cases deteriorate due to the length of the procedures. In Obala, this conflict prevails in all the neighborhoods. It most often occurs when a landowner having large portions of land but without the financial means to register their land, grants himself the services of a facilitator in exchange for a parcel of land in return. As soon as the latter realizes that the time of the procedure defined and agreed with the said facilitator to register and secure these plots has expired, the latter decides to grant themselves the services of other buyers in exchange for the same agreements previously signed by the former buyer thus leading to conflicts.

Inter-family and intra-family conflicts

Inter-family conflicts

Conflicts between families are frequent in Obala and are observed among both natives and non-natives. According to the village chief, these conflicts have various origins “old grudges stimulated by sparks, non-recognition of deeds for the sale and lease of plots of land between rural people, encroachment on the land boundaries are characterized by both the expansion of the network of social relations and remarkable violence.” In practice, these conflicts involve many people from families and lineages and are characterized by a fairly rapid escalation of violence causing cases of severe injuries, partial or total disabilities among the belligerents. Certain indigenous and non-indigenous owners do not have clearly defined boundaries. Thus, during this expedition, it appeared clear that due to the lack of modern means, the lands of rural people in villages such as Ekokom, Nkol -Feb have natural boundaries (lowlands, termite mounds, cheese trees, oil palms, etc.) which themselves disappear over time. Consequently, this disappearance (of natural limits) causes relative uncertainty among rural people, a total imprecision of the limits which were already partially so and a confusion of rights characterized by multiple encroachments, violent consolidations of spaces, and all of this in a politically fraught socio-rural environment.

 Intra-family conflicts

The verbatim obtained in the field of study reveal that this type of conflict generally occurs in the indigenous community. These so-called intra-family conflicts are more frequent within the family institution where legitimate heirs, uncles and cousins clash to appropriate significant portions of the family lands after the death of the donor father. Divergences which, at the beginning, manifest themselves in murmurs, quarrels, quickly metamorphose into physical violence with at times and places the formation of isolated groups, clannism within the family and risks of juvenile positioning in the family land theater, with a questioning of the right of primogeniture and all the privileges associated with it.

 Inter-indigenous conflicts and indigenous/foreign conflicts

Conflicts between indigenous people

These conflicts are very rare in these areas because in most cases, the boundaries of the land are known by each family, even when they are not materialized. These families are settled according to customary land law, in former villages that have become urban districts through the phagocytosis or fragmentation of the formerly rural space. Thus, most of the conflicts observed here are problems that are particularly observed after the death of the owner of the land because they are linked to misappropriation of inheritance, succession and sharing conflicts, and much more, with consequences such as family breakups, and the suspension of certain lands. Furthermore, they generally occur at the level of the boundaries of the plots when a third party has overflowed or encroached on the plot of the other.

Conflicts between indigenes and non-indigenes

These​​ conflicts​ are characterized​​​​​​​ by​​ the refusal by​​ authorities​​​ of the customary​​​​​ court to recognize the rights​​​​ of land​​​ ownership​ to​ non-indigenes at​ lineage, which​​​​​​​ gives rise to a new problem;​​​​​​​ exclusion ​​of the​ non-indigenes from land ownership.​​​ The indigenes​​ have all the rights ​​​​to lands thus sending back non-natives​​ to acquire​​​​ landed property​​​​​ in their native lands .​​​​​​​​​​

But​​ it important to note that this situation is not peculiar to the Centre Region, more particularly the population of Obala as it is also quickly noticed in the West Region. In effect,​​​ people from the West Region generally known as the​​​​​​​ “Bamiléké ” are generally​ called ” invaders” In​​ other​​​​​ regions​​ of Cameroon , particularly​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ the Centre and Littoral Regions they themselves show proof​​​​​​​ of reluctance​​​​​​​ to sell land to non-natives in their villages.

Land conflicts related to inheritance: land violence

These conflicts are often commonplace within families or lineages. They can lead to the breakup of families, factions form and clash following lobbying, blackmail and cronyism. Physical attacks and murders are commonplace, and the hatred that arises between two brothers over land is passed down from generation to generation. This situation is recurrent, mainly in Mboua, in the fight over inheritances between brothers of the same family who are fighting over palm groves and cocoa plantations. Inter-family conflicts most often pit two or more families against each other. They can escalate to the point of involving not only families but also the lineages of the two competing families; Inter-village conflicts are frequent when the disputed plot is located on the border of two neighborhoods.

All these conflicts are for the most part according to the information collected during our field surveys at the origin of land violence observed within families. According to traditional authorities in fact two families out of five (05) face this type of conflict and it is mostly young people who are at the origin of such very often bloody practices.

This explains the presence of hot spots and intensities of land conflicts by district as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8: Hot spots and intensities of land conflicts by neighborhood/village

Source : OSM 2020

 Looking at the data in the figure 8, we can see that land conflicts are intense, strong in neighborhoods/villages such as Nkometou 3, Nkometou 2, Mindjomo and Nfomakap , Nkol Guem , areas where land pressures are significant and which are experiencing a very significant demographic rush compared to other districts and due to their direct proximity to projects currently being implemented. In these areas, conflicts are much more between landowner populations and applicants who are for the most part facilitators at a first level.

At a second level, conflicts also oppose the populations and the State with regard to evictions and insufficient compensation that the latter should pay to the evicted populations; and at the third level, conflicts oppose the landowning populations among themselves. Further away, we also observe in neighborhoods such as Nkol-mélen , Ekokom , Mboua , a neighborhood close to the city center of Obala , but also affected by major projects, more precisely the PORT SEC located in Nkol-mélen , BELGOCAM still in Nkol-mélen, which are at the origin of conflicts between the State and populations following evictions for public utility reasons and conflicts between populations and buyers. These conflicts exist and with an average intensity in these villages represented. Furthermore, neighborhoods such as Minkama and Nko feb present forms of conflicts that oppose much more local populations/elites and populations/financiers on the subject of the appropriation of spaces. Indeed these conflicts are weak thanks to the fact that the presence of development projects has pushed certain elites and buyers to appropriate the lands of the populations who own the unregistered plots. The use of trickery and social status were the strategies used by the latter to appropriate the lands of the populations after agreements not respected by the applicants.

Towards socio-economic impacts of land conflicts

It is clear that the arrival of development projects in Obala has led to many conflicts around land issues observed in the face of land competitions that have been fought by various categories of actors engaged in the race for land. Indeed, Obala, the theater of land games, exacerbates land conflicts that weaken the socio-economic life of the populations. According to 65% of respondents, the land problems encountered in this locality since the implementation of the projects have undermined social cohesion and living together between populations. Since then, social tensions of all kinds have been observed.

Social cohesion undermined by land insecurity

Access​​​​ to land is quite a difficult​ equation​​​​​​ very​​ to solve at Obala since the implementation of major development projects. Whatever the margin,​​​ land owners​​​​​​​​​​ are confronted with a multitude of problems that put at stake social cohesion and living together in the Obala Municipality. The resurgence of land problems in Obala closes the door to investors because the fear of appropriating a space, developing a certain number of economic activities and which eventually become like a sword of Damocles.

Social inequality​​​​​​​​: A worsening Factor

It is important to note that in addition to the social tensions observed around land issues in Obala,​​​​​  is​​​​ social inequality between​​​​​​​​​ ​​ the rich and​​​​​​ the poor.​​ In this view,​​​​​ this​​ social inequality is borne from access and possession of land . For the poor population,​​​​​​​​​​ it is customary rights that​​​​​​​​ over rights because​​ the means​​​​​​​ do not permit them to have land titles. In​​​​ effect,​ at the North – Eastern periphery​ of the city​​ of Yaounde, the main stakeholders of habitable land for the poor are customary land owners. The old communities had collective right of use on land for agriculture and livestock. The spatial extension​​​ of towns has progressively taken up customary land and concerned communities have understood the gains they could make of the situation by offering undeveloped land to urban dwellers at a low cost. These are the neo-customary sectors that still provide an essential of the parcels of land for habitation

Spatial planning undermined by land insecurity

Planning​​​​​​ can​​ be​ apprehended​​​​​​​​ as the method of​​ forecast​​​​ and organization​​​​ that permits​ public authorities​​​ to orient​​​ and to master spatial development​​​​​ by​​ elaboration and putting into place land use plans. Further, it is a question of implementing urban planning rules with the aim of ranking and organizing space in a sustainable way with objective of avoiding overlaps through conflicts of use. In Cameroun, the law of 2004/003/ of 21 April​​ 2004 governing​​​​​ urbanism​​​​​​ in Cameroun and​ its​​ accompanying decrees​​​ of application​​​​​​​ ​are the legal foundations of decentralized urban planning. ​​​​​​​​​ In principle, The questions​​​​ of planning​​​​​​ obey​​​​​ to a certain​​​​ number of steps.​​​​ It​ is generally​​​​​​​​​ recognized​​ that​ there are these​​ peripheral spaces that​​​​​​ permit the control the evolution of the​​​ town. Indeed, the problem of land governance observed in the outskirts of the city of Yaoundé including Obala are the cause of the absence of the implementation of spatial planning tools.

The lack of implementation of such peri-urban development tools is the result of numerous land problems encountered in these increasingly attractive peripheral areas; but also an obstacle to the local development of the latter. Land use plans in​​ these​​ peripheral areas are inexistent and​ most often the problem of servitude comes into play because the customary owner that sells his parcel of land does not always consider the usefulness of foreseeing servitude.  Consequently, when many buyers are confronted with the situation of double sales, tensions are bornefrom this promiscuity. The effect is the conflicting climate as seen on plate 1.

Plate 1 shows the anarchical occupation of space in Nkometou 2 .

Plate 1: Anarchical occupation of space in Nkometou 2

Source: Field Work (2023)

The​ reality​​​​ that we observe​​​​ on this​​​ brings to focus the ​​ anarchical forms of space oupation​​​​​​. It is also noted on photo A just like on photo B located in Nkometou 2 that the lack of planning leads buyers to develop their space without respecting urban planning standards. By observing photos A and B, there is also an absence of a passageway between the different households; this sufficiently demonstrates the planning problem in these sampled neighborhoods/villages

The absence of the implementation of a local​​ development​​​​​​ plan in the Obala Council is proof​ of a lack of strategic​​​​ short and long term vision​​. This also explains the various problems observed in the implementation of projects at the municipal level. Further, according to 65% of the population, with​​ the extension of​ the city, sales of​​​​​​​ Land without regular subdivision has multiplied, resulting in the proliferation of developments without respect for local planning standards. Also, the absence of servitude is a direct consequence of illegal subdivisions, a corollary of illegal appropriations of spaces; real obstacles to local development.​​​​​​​

This​ explain​​​​s the nature of the problems to be solved amidst the resurgence of illegally occupied spaces​​​​​​ as shown by​​ table ​​​​​1.

Table 1: Major issues to be addressed

Source:  Field work (2023)

From the data in Table 1, the urgency as a problem to be solved lies at the level of the parceling of land. Indeed, land parceling is the means of prioritizing or creating roads on plots that are not yet registered in order to facilitate divisions and direct registrations to the main applicants. Furthermore, outside of the subdivision, problems such as the lack of roads and those of equipment arise acutely and the populations also decry the infrastructure problems as being an obstacle to local development.

Indeed, nearly 38% of the population attest that these problems understood as emergencies are the result of the absence of a well-defined local development plan. Moreover, the local planning problem observed in the Obala Municipality, a crossroads city, is linked to a set of parameters; amongst which are the absence of a master plan at the level of peripheral areas known here as the land use plan following land​​​​​ policy and in general​​​​​​ soil management​​​​ and the management of unoccupied sites. The absence of real construction plans due to the fact that the local planning policy in place is interested in local planning​​​​​​​​​​ especially rail and roads within neighborhoods.

DISCUSSION

The main objective of this study was to analyze the socio-economic repercussion of land conflicts around PAEPYS on the eastern outskirts of the city of Yaoundé. The result (1) presented the land problems around PAEPYS. It appears that the arrival of development projects and more precisely PAEPYS has exacerbated land problems in the neighborhoods located around the project. This is the reason why Assako (1996,1999, 2012) insisted on the fact that only the possession​​ of a legally owned land title​​​​​​​ can​​ guarantee​​​​​ any land security.​​​​​​​​​ Consequently,​​ In the absence​​​​​ of this​ document,​​ all​​ other​ forms​​ of​ security be it in the urban or rural areas,​ would be in veine​​​ and dive de facto​​ land owner into land insecurity and​​​​ the exposure​ to eviction​​​​​​​. Furthermore, it is important to note that in the amidst the multiple land speculations observed around PAEPYS, land is increasingly coveted and its value continues to increase. This idea is similar to that of Ndock. Ndock (2013) who already noted that the rapid demographic growth of the city of Yaoundé leads to pronounced land speculation in a context of increasing needs of the population for housing and basic social services. Along these lines, Assako Assako (2007), considers that the city boom observed on all continents at the end of the last century, found fertile ground in Africa due to the representations made of the city, and the weakness of the legislation on land use. Furthermore, result (2) highlighted the different types of land conflicts observed around PAEPYS. It emerges that the competitions observed between actors in the fight to access land have opened the way to multifaceted land conflicts. This is what justifies the idea of Njouonang (2013) who already noted that the city​​ of Yaounde  is greatly influenced by land competition, especially in peripheral neighbourhoods.​​​​​​​​ It is today​​​ subject to certain​​​ number​​ of spatial changes​​​​​​​​,​ opening the way to clashes​​​​​​​​ as access​​​​​ to land is increasingly becoming a very​​ important​​​​ stake for the urban dwellers. Moreover, abundant in another sense, Njouanang (2019), already noted that the transition from customary law​ towards​​ the modern​​ rights to land ownership in quassi totality of peri-urban and peripheral spaces is accompanied by conflicts​​ between the principle​​​​​ of patrician lineage​​​​ and the regulatory instruments​​ almost ineffective fragmentation and registration​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ installed by the state. Result (3) analyzed the socio-economic impacts of land conflicts around PAEPYS. The results show that the implementation of the project has revealed land conflicts that have also had repercussions on the socio-economic development of this city. This is what justifies the idea of Karsenty (2007), when he states that the increase in land pressure leads to the development of strategies that sometimes precipitate land competition which is at the origin of land insecurity. In many cases, we see the development of conservative land strategies on the part of “traditional owners”. On the other hand, Assako Assako (2011) observed at first sight, with regard to conflicts that, in a context of land competition in the city of Yaoundé, the dynamics of mutual perceptions of the actors, linked to new land issues and competing strategies generate conflicts of use and neighborhood.

CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the socio-economic repercussions of land conflicts surrounding the PAEPYS project on the north-eastern outskirts of Yaoundé. The synthesis of the exploitation of data from field surveys revealed that on the eastern outskirts of Yaoundé, the land issues observed around land have materialized through competition around the project, thus generating land problems as a corollary of increased land insecurity following the land competition and competitions between a group of actors. Indeed, the implementation of the project justifies the multiple land issues causing the observed land conflicts. In view of the numerous land issues

in the race for access to land since the implementation of development projects, Obala remains a typical example of land insecurity area seen from the multiple conflicts observed within this territory, a real obstacle to the socio-economic development of this city. Competitions for access to land between actors are not conducive to investments because of the land problems they generate. It is therefore important to emphasize that on the northeastern outskirts of Yaoundé, land conflicts which have so far continued to gain ground due to various land issues are obstructing the socio-economic development of this locality by undermining social stability, limiting the rush of investors and thus weakening social cohesion, the guarantee of any form of development.

It would therefore be urgent in the face of such a situation where land issues are experiencing a meteoric rise in the face of the incessant implementation of development projects in peripheral areas and in the face of land competitions observed around said projects to supervise local land governance in a sustainable manner. In order to limit land conflicts that weaken living together, thus undermining social cohesion and limiting investments that guarantee socio-economic development. This involves the implementation of a participatory and decentralized land management model focused on training, information, awareness-raising and the involvement of all stakeholders in land management policy at the local level.

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