Why Bamenda Airport Must Remain Operational After Pope’s Visit
The Pope’s visit to Bamenda has revived the long-dormant Bamenda Airport. Thanks to separatists declaring a ceasefire, this means Christians attending events at the airport will be safe – at least during the three-day ceasefire.
Separatist leaders and their fighters should please apply this same logic and allow the airport to remain operational even after the Pope leaves the NW Region.
An operational airport will not only create jobs for hundreds of locals but will also boost Bamenda’s overall economy while easing transportation for locals. Trips to Yaounde and Douala which often take nearly 6 hours by road, will be reduced to a little over an hour by air – making life more convenient for business executives, individuals and making life more convenient for university students crisscrossing the country for research purposes and humanitarian workers responding to urgent needs in the region.
For this to happen, Camair-Co must urgently resume regular flights to Bamenda. Doing so would signal a gradual return to normalcy and restore investor confidence in the Northwest. The government, for its part, should guarantee security around Bamenda Airport, rehabilitate key infrastructure, and offer incentives to airlines to sustain operations. Ensuring consistent access will not only reconnect Bamenda to Yaoundé and Douala, but also to other African cities and to the world at large.
