Wum: Poor state of road forces family to transport corpse on bike

A bereaved woman in the north West region of Cameroon was far from imagining that losing her loved would not be her only source of pain.

The lady has now revealed that drivers in Bamenda, Mezam Division asked her to pay the sum of FCFA 180,000 before the corpse of her mother could be transported to Wum in the Menchum Division. It was explained to her by drivers that this price increase is the consequence of the very deplorable state of the over 75km Bamenda -Wum road. With the coming of the rains, this has become even more difficult coupled with the fact that the two control posts which formerly existed have multiplied to 12. These posts start from the Council junction area in Bamenda to Wum. Each of these control posts have to be bribed by drivers. Moreover, she says separatist’s fighters have also mounted control posts and each of them needs money before access can be granted.

Faced with these issues, the bereaved woman says she decided to negotiate that a commercial motorbike rider transports her mother from Bamenda to Wum for the cheaper amount of FCFA 50,000. This had to be done with no casket to lighten the load. The remains had to be sealed in a bag and placed on a piece of plank and then tied on the bike. Just like other road users, the bike rider almost fell over several times due to the muddy nature of the road.

Users of this road are now pleading that competent authorities repair this road or at least reduce the number of control posts on this stretch.