Douala city dwellers “uncomfortable” with increasing pollution

Cameroon’s economic hub, Douala, is grappling with increasing pollution as industrial waste, congested markets, and gridlocked traffic, have transformed the city to a hazard-prone environment.

Areas like Carefour Mbopi are one of the most affected in the city, due to the crowded nature. Tekum Marie, a local vendor says, “the air is thick with smoke from the factories.” This, with a scotching sun and heat. She is one of 2.5 million (83%) inhabitants of the city according to The World Air Quality Report which ranks Douala amongst the top 10 most polluted cities in Africa.

Regarding congestion in the precolonial town, the City Council has said traffic congestion costs the city 20% of its annual GDP.

Water bodies in the city are equally becoming more polluted, as piles of dirt get washed from the gutters and get dumped into rivers like the Wouri. “The river is now filled with dirt of all sort, especially plastics,” an inhabitant says.

Data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry reveals that 70% of Bonaberi’s water sources are polluted.

The Douala City Council is spearheading discussions to resolve the issues which to many are overdue. Recently, they have sought solutions to plastic pollution with GWP-Cmr, focusing on the “source-to-sea” approach to keep the rivers healthy.

Some industrial sites are also taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.

According to ScienceDirect, waste management in Cameroon will combat these challenges through recycling and proper waste disposal.