Bamenda: Dust and business battle for space
By Mayayong
As early as 6:30am downtown Bamenda, the dust has already filled the air. Taxi drivers, bikers and passengers who drive across the Ngeng junction-Meta quarter stretch, passing through finance in Bamenda, North West region of Cameroon are all covered with face masks but their eyebrows and hair are coloured with the orange and brown mixture. Amidst the dust both in the air and on the ground, are perishables, cars, clothes just to name but these.
A cloth vendor has all her dresses covered with very little of the beauty exposed “ it is not easy. I spend money buying plastics to cover the dresses that I hang outside because if not, they will all get dirty or I will keep them inside and no one will know they are available… Plus, the stands inside the shop are thick with grime. This is pushing away clients”
Few metres away, the green, red, yellow colours of fruits and vegetables are still overshadowing the dust but vendors are not at ease ” everyday we go home with much goods because sales was poor and this is blamed on the dust. People no longer stop to buy… The few who buy, we tell them to wash well before consuming”
Each year, the people say they battle with dust on this road axis under the watch of local government officials who in response advance they have scheduled waterings “we make sure we water the road but the weather being unfavourable, it quickly gets dry. Plus, the water sources are getting dry due to the dry season and this is making the whole situation complex” Paul Achobong Tambeng, City Mayor of Bamenda.
Bikers are highly affected given that their helmets are not dust proof ” if we deny going to the dusty areas how then do we make money? Yes we are at risk of contracting catarrh and cough and more but we have to make money. Not leaving out the fact that many passengers now prefer taxis to get to their destinations as a way of dudging the dust. Business is not at its best”
The fine particles Dr Arnold Tanah, Chief medical officer at the Ntinkar district hospital in Mankon-Bamenda 2 sub division says will cause a hike in respiratory track infections especially pneumonia ” the population should wear face mask, drink warm fluids in the morning and at night, drink plenty of water during the day and wash perishables thoroughly before consumption. If possible wear sunglasses to protect their eyes too because conjunctivitis is looming”
The dry season in Bamenda is a challenging period the people have adopted strategies to overcome while waiting for the rain.
Mayayong
