West Region: Transporters express anger at plans to build toll gates without passable roads
Transporters trade unionists have expressed their discontent at government’s plans to construct three toll gates in the West region notably at Zemezong, Mbami and Bangourain. Their anger follows a release published by the Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, on September 16, 2024, announcing the projects.
To the transporters trade unionists, this is weird given that the state focuses more on swelling its coffers with money collected from citizens than carrying out maintenance works on the deplorable national roads.
“It’s not normal at all. Majority of our roads are extremely bad, impacting transport. Drivers suffer a lot on these roads. It’s better to fix the roads first before the construction of toll gates”. Oumarou Sahabou, president of the Cameroon road transport drivers syndicate.
On a similar note, truck drivers agree with the trade unionist. Their concern is linked to the series of deadly accidents on the sick highways.
“All the times you hear of accidents occuring and killing people. The solution is to maintain our roads but they ignore and instead rush to build toll gates”.
“These toll gates are meant to generate money to construct roads. If I may ask, where has the money collected from toll gates gone to. They are using us to enrich themselves.” Sais some bittered truck drivers.
Political actors and members of the civil society categorically said on different occasions that such manoeuvres clearly demonstrate the egoistic interest of the Biya regime over the wellbeing of millions of Cameroonians.
