DAP Inc Ltd: 20 years of quality service

 

BY TARHYANG ENOWBIKAH TABE

20 years ago, it was just occurring to Defang Agbor Peter that he would be daring it a field which was not very fertile.

At a time when real estate and construction companies were not meant for Cameroonians of this part of the country called South West.

He braved the challenges of the Bamilekes and others and stormed the region with his engineering company and he decided to call DAP Civil Engeneering Enterprise from 1995 to 2001, thereafter, DAP Inc Ltd, seeming to mean Defang Agbor Peter.

Over the years, from 2001 till date the company has been growing from level to level.

Last year, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Zang III, lauded the strides by the management and staff of DAP Incorporated Limited.

The praises were heaped on the company during the last lap of the Senior Divisional Officer’s tour to some economic Institutions of the Division recently.

After visiting the company’s factory and building material shop, the SDO was visibly very satisfied with what he saw. Amongst the things he appreciated were the roofing accessories machines, roofing sheets machines etc.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of DAP Inc. Ltd, Defang Agbor Peter, the company is growing from strength to strength, thanks to the   special grace of God, the dedication of the staff that has the company at heart as well as the dynamism in its managerial style (Bottom-top)

The company has one of the finest breeds in the field of Civil Engineering with a lot of experience.

Profile

Dap Inc. Ltd. is General Engineering and Contracting, Studies, Control and Execution Company based in Limbe, South-West Region, Republic of Cameroon specialized in building construction, manufacture and supply of Aluminum roofing sheets, Metal Nails and all type of concrete structures of intrinsic qualities. DAP Incorporated is a Limited Liability Company based in Limbe, Cameroon with expertise in General Engineering and Contracting, Studies, Control and Execution of all types of construction works including residences, offices, factories, markets, roads, dams, water course and bridges.

DAP produces aluminum roofing sheets of all kinds and shapes including colored and accessories, metal nails of various sizes and all types of concrete decorative items, such as blocks, pavement stones and balustrades etc.

DAP aims to become the leading general engineering and contracting firm in the nation, providing inherent and well-developed construction products and technical services for both the private and public sector.

DAP has realized more than 100 construction projects at various locations in the nation with a variety of requirements, difficulties and challenges for the Ministry of Public Health, Public Works, Ministry of Territorial Administration, Ministry of Finance, AES SONEL, American Embassy, British Embassy, French Embassy and other public and private establishments .

According Defang Agbor Peter, “with factory having modern machinery to produce and store our products, we continue to build solid relationships within the construction industry through joint ventures and teaming agreement for the execution of all types of construction contracts”.

Venturing into Bakassi

At the time when everyone thought that the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular was too inaccessible and very risky to live in and in line with the government’s desire to Cameroonise Bakassi through the construction of administrative offices and residences in the area, no one but DAP Inc. Ltd took the challenge to brave the deep blue sea.

Not only did Defang Abgor Peter move his team to Akwa in Kombo Abedimo sub-division, he brought life to the place by building a Hotel, Nightclub and Restaurant called Akwa Palace.

These has been the centre of attraction of the people in that area who now have the possibility of listening and dancing to Cameroonian Music, drinking Cameroonian products as well as eating Cameroonian traditional dishes.

During the eve of the handover of Bakassi to Cameroon, DAP Inc Ltd handed over to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation an ultra-modern office for the Divisional Officer of Kombo Abedimo, situated at the far end of the headquarters, Akwa and two well furnished self-contained mini edifices, one to house the Divisional Officer and the other to house the assistant Divisional Officer in Akwa-Kombo.

In December 2011 the company finished construction work of the Documentation and Information Centre (CDI) in Obala, Lekie Division in the Center Region, another ultra-modern edifice which has left many to wonder and ponder about the technology in its construction.

Recently, precisely on Friday April 17, 2015, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, inaugurated the most attractive structure in the whole Bakassi Peninsular that is the Kobmo Abedimo Council Chambers and Residences constructed by DAP Inc Ltd

With standby heavy equipment, the company is ready to execute at any given time, any number of contracts that it has on its table without compromise.

The youthful, dynamic, workaholic and elegant CEO, Defang Agbor Peter, has not limited himself to Civil Engineering but has a track record in Business Management where he has obtained a Masters in Business Administration; this is seen clearly in the management of the affairs of the company.

To his staff, he is a model of a boss any employee would ever dream of working with. DAP Inc. Ltd aims at becoming the leading general engineering and contracting firm in the nation, providing inherent and well-developed construction products and technical services for both the private and public sector.

In an exclusive interview granted to THE SUN some time ago, Mr. Defang Agbor Peter said DAP Inc Ltd is trying its best though they have some minor ups and downs in their business cycle, but that is how business is and has to be.

He said it is all about success and failure. “There is a period in business when you can be at the apex and latter on you find yourself down there. But the most important point is that you do not go lower than the normal because I believe strongly that any business that is constantly increasing is a bad business,” the very experienced and multiple award-winning business executive said.

He was optimistic when he said “For now we are making strides and trying to improve on our new technologies and reinvesting at the same time. We had a plan of action for five years and we are sure by the end of the 5th year that is, in 2012 we would have a change in attitude, a change in position in terms of its image on the field. We are also carrying out a lot of expansion and we hope the business climate in the country favours what ever we intend to do after expansion.”

Just as he predicted by the end of 2012 the magic happened and in the beginning of 2013 there was a new wind blowing in DAP Inc Ltd.

A new impetus

As the company prepares to celebrate its 20th Anniversary in December, from the 25th to 27th , the Management of DAP is bent on producing for the large market out of its base and to open the largest Building Material Supply Company owned by someone west of the Mungo.

Defang Agbor Peter and DAP Inc Ltd in general has been working tirelessly over the years to bring to the South West and the English-speaking parts of the country to a new dawn in the business of building materials.

Situated at the Manga Williams Avenue in Limbe, the imposing blue over white structure now hosts the factory and the DAP “Quincaillerie Generale”.

The difference with his competitors is that there is steady supply as the finished goods leave the factory and enters the shop directly.

DAP has plans to extend the supply and retail outlets to other parts of the country and to compete with the already existing names in the industry.

With a slogan of DAP for Quality and Quantity and a vision statement of Moh Manyang; the Vision is here and the difference is clear, DAP has already started finding a lot of favours and positive recommendations from high levels and the company is bent on staying at the top and move with Cameroon towards an emerging economy in line with the Head of State’s vision 2035.

For the past 20 years, the Master in Business Administration cum politician has engaged in massive youth employment so as to help the government in absorbing the huge unemployment population in the country.Happy celebration in advance ….