End of year festivities: transport minister calls for more vigilance

Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe has prescribed measures to drivers of heavy duty truck, bike riders and other vehicle drivers in order to ensure the safety of passengers and pedestrians especially during this end of year period. In a two- page release dated November 17 2022, the minister of transport instructs truck drivers to drive at night only with all signal lights on, he asks that they always signal a breakdown with the triangle sign, cover goods and avoid overloading. For Souleymanou truck driver on the Douala-Bangui corridor, this is more of a bureaucratic decision:

“Once again papers are signed but is it effective on the field? Some of us who ply the corridors do not have good lights as such, we try not to be on the road at night. The decision is good but realities on the ground are different and should be taken into consideration.”

The ministerial decision further urges bus drivers and passengers to fasten their seat belts from departure to arrival but this also might be difficult to realize.

“Each time, we ask passengers to fasten their seat belts they keep acting stubborn. Are we to watch over them while driving?”Claude Kuete a clandestine bus driver complains. Bike riders are not left out as the wearing of helmets and overloading have been highlighted once again. An umpteenth call which seems to fall on deaf ears.

“If I have to carry just one person for some distances, I will not be able to make gain daily… As for the helmet, it is very important but the heat is unbearable,” Jean Marcel, a biker at Mendong Market in Yaounde says.

Cameroon records an average of 16,583 road accidents each year, killing more than 1,000 people, according to official figures, and over 6,000 according to World Health Organization estimates of 2018 and over the years, actions have been taken by government to curb accidents on the highway. Between September 2021 and February 2022, a campaign was launched against heavy duty trucks to raise more awareness on reckless driving. Still in 2021, the ministry of transport launched an application to monitor drivers in buses but this has had almost no effect on the rate of accidents on the highways.

While forbiding the installation and use of fancy lights on bikes and cars, the minister of transport urged transporters to respect the August 10 2021 decision,relating to the reduction of road accidents and also called on all to be comprehensive with road safety agents.