When Prime Minister Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute arrived at the newly completed Bamenda Proximity Stadium in Ntaafi Bamendakwe on Friday, 4 July 2025, he was welcomed not only by cheering crowds and excited athletes but by a man who had turned one of Bamenda’s most difficult terrains into a FIFA-standard football field. That man was Dr Tachang Pius, CEO of EDGE, the local construction firm behind the ambitious project.
Dr. Tachang Pius, CEO of EDGE
The Prime Minister’s warm handshake and smile for Dr Tachang during the official commissioning told a deeper story of a gesture of appreciation for a project that was as much about engineering as it was about identity, and pride for the North West Region.
Constructed as part of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions (PPRD-NW/SW) with funding and oversight from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the stadium stands today as a gleaming symbol of what is possible when local expertise meets international cooperation.
But behind the sleek synthetic turf, clean perimeter fencing, and sturdy stands lies a grittier narrative which is one of bulldozers battling rocks, weeks of painstaking excavation, and a team that refused to give up.
Speaking exclusively to Hilltopvoices on the sidelines of the Prime Minister’s visit, Dr Tachang explained the herculean task his team faced from day one.
“The name ‘Ntaafi’ says it all, this is a hill. We had to take down a volume of earth equivalent to nearly half of this entire stadium just to create a level platform,” he said.
It took EDGE slightly over a year to reshape the terrain, battling against the natural slope of the land and the logistical nightmare of moving tonnes of soil on a daily basis. The technical team worked closely with UNDP engineers to ensure that the site not only met international sporting dimensions but also guaranteed durability especially against Bamenda’s unforgiving rains.
“Drainage was our biggest technical challenge. We did not just want a field that looked good, but one that could stand the test of time and weather. And after observing its behaviour under intense rain, I can say confidently: the drainage is perfect,” Dr Tachang noted.
EDGE’s involvement was a mission of regional pride.
“We are a North West-based company. We had to sacrifice a lot because this project mattered to us. It mattered to our identity and to what our people deserve,” Dr Tachang said with conviction.
That sacrifice came in many forms—from financial, emotional, and physical. Sourcing labour locally, adjusting to unforeseen geotechnical conditions, and committing to the highest construction standards, EDGE pushed through because failure was not an option.
Edge company personnel welcoming PM
“For us, this was not just about concrete and turf. It was about showing that a home-grown company can deliver a facility that meets international standards right here in Bamenda.”
With the dimensions clocking in at approximately 104 metres by 68 metres, the stadium is within FIFA specifications—ready for regional, national, and even international matches.
“Practically, this field is ready. In fact, in the next three weeks, we plan to officially hand it over to the community. After everything, what matters is that our youths have a place to play, to dream, and to grow,” Dr Tachang said.