Bamenda: taxi drivers blame poor traffic on bad roads, military checkpoints

By Nukapuh P.

Some taxi drivers in Bamenda, chief town of the North West region have said the deplorable nature of roads in the city and the many check points are the main causes of poor traffic. They have lamented that the situation is going to be worst as the raining season is fast approaching.

In an interview with CNA reporter, some say the situation is horrible and at times they don’t work because they end up spending hours stuck in traffic. Meanwhile at times the traffic is caused by security officials trying to get taxi drivers to ‘settle them’.

“This is not actually the Bamenda that we knew before. Everywhere now is bad roads, you carry passengers from mile 2 and take about 30 minutes to reach City Chemist. It was not like this before,” a taxi driver by name Wilson said.

Some say the situation has not changed for years now because government officials and councils in the town have refused to cooperate and help the population.

“Many councils and government officials today have taken advantage of the crisis and have refused to do their job. It is shameful that we are having these kinds of roads in Bamenda. The population has been suffering and asking for a long time we are really tired,” another taxi driver said.

It has not also been easy with passengers too who say at times they miss appointments and commitments because of unnecessary traffic which at times forces them to hop on bikes, and this they say, is not really comfortable.

Some have advanced that police said gendarme elements are also contributing to the poor traffic. “They put checkpoints wherever they want and they stop taxis collecting money.”

In September 2022, the Bamenda city council during its midterm evaluation meeting revealed that about F CFA 400 million is needed to tar the deplorable roads. It was also made known that the regional delegation of public works will partner with the council to realize the project.

The city Mayor Achobong Tembeng Paul also hinted that areas like the Mile 4 bridge and others will be tarred before the rainy season but unfortunately, no work has been done as at now.

For more than three years now, the Africa Development Bank started a project to construct the roads, which was later on stopped. Government authorities have continued to blame the situation on insecurity.

Read also: Taxi drivers decry numerous checkpoints, extortion in Bamenda