Visibly
tired, famished, and pathetic, they arrived in Bamenda in the North West Region
after spending long unending hours in Babajou in the West Region. The “Bad Road
Refugees” as they called themselves were stranded in Babajou because of the
state of the national road number 6 which gradual degraded to the state of
impassability under the watchful eyes of the authorities.
The
road construction or renovation of that road which provocatively ended in the
West almost around the boundary with the English speaking North West Region
gave credence to varied opinions and understandings. Some people especially the
moderate North westerner saw it as a simple sign of marginalization while the
extremist especially of the secessionist SCNC read into it a different message.
Pa Nwacham Thomas, one of the leaders of the SCNC faction thinks that the
message is clear; “la Republique has nothing to do with us. Why should you people bother about what is
happening over there. You better mind about your own things here. Do they care
about you people here? ”
While
the authorities are busy spending time in Yaoundé playing the blame game over
who is to blame for Razel abandoning work, the North West Region has finally
been cut off the rest of the country. Vincent Ndumu Nji, government delegate to
the Bamenda City council had warned some weeks back. He said in an interview in
The Guardian Post that if nothing is done and fast too on that road, Bamenda
would be cut off from the rest of the country. It finally did happen and there
was fire on the mountain. The authorities of this country who seems to enjoy
when people undergo torture so that hasty measures could be taken and huge sums
embezzled in the course swung into frantic action.
SCNC
Rejoices
While
many people here in the North West have given different interpretations to the
incident, the Southern Cameroon National Conference-SCNC is rejoicing.
According to some of them, the incident in Babajou is a natural indication and
a message that the Sothern Cameroon has little or nothing to do with La
Republique. Pa Nwacham Thomas, leader of one of the SCNC factions says that he
does not see any reason why people should complain. According to him, the road
is in la republique and has nothing to do with the people of Southern Cameroon.
He thinks that Anglophones have other problems than the road in the east. His
thoughts are not different from that of many here in the region who think that
the government neglect of roads in the North West Region like the Ring Road and
roads within the city of Bamenda have given credence to the cry of SCNC.
Inter-Urban
Transporters Threaten
In
a strongly worded memo to the Governor of the North West region, the Inter-
Urban transport Association- APITAC warns government of an eminent strike
action if something is not done within forty eight hours. According to them, it
is unthinkable that they pay the vignette, toll gate, road worthiness papers and
had accepted the increase in fuel prizes with the hope that government would
take care of the roads. Where is the money we pay as taxes in the transport
sector, they question. The threats by these transporters caused the governor of
the region to pay a visit to the area in Babajou, West region. He promised the
transporters that urgent measures would be taken to make sure traffic flows
while government is seeking for a lasting solution. In the meantime, the toll
gate at matezem has been suspended after threats from drivers who say they do
not see any use of the toll gate when roads cannot be repaired.
Chamber
of commerce Bemoans Road situation in the Region.
In
a meeting here in Bamenda at the Conference Hall of the chambers of commerce on
the 20th of August, 2015 under its Delegate, Mr. Nyakenji Boniface
of Imagine Bakery, members of the chamber of Commerce and some businessmen in
the region called on government to take immediate steps to salvage the
situation. According to them, the road situation which has protracted over a
long time is causing untold hardships to the population of the region and
businessmen in particular. According to them, the supply of basic goods,
constructions materials and medication in the region has been hampered
resulting to a slow down in business activities and the economic growth of the
region. Evacuation of patients for emergencies has also been hampered and this
is detrimental to lives here in the region.
To
this, the chamber of commerce has also in a strongly worded memo asked
government to open a second access road into the region, put the abandoned
Bamenda Airport into use to serve as an alternative means of transportation, to
dismantle the custom office just after Matezem which is politically unhealthy
for the unity of the country, that the ban on trucks to ply the road be
uplifted with immediate effect to allow basic goods to come into the region and
above all that government to take special measure to construct roads in the
city of Bamenda. According to them, the economic activities of the region
especially in the city of Bamenda have slowed down tremendously because of the
deteriorating nature of roads around town.
Meanwhile
businessmen and women who deal in perishable have incurred enormous loses and
some of them might go out of business. One of them, Tata James Tanto said if
government does not do something, he would be out of business. According to
him, at this time of “back to school” he does not know what to do since much of
his goods got perished at \Babajou.
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