Inhabitants of PK 18 to PK 21 in Douala, in the Litoral Region of Cameroon, have decried the state of bad roads in their localities, which they say has affected the price of basic commodities in the past month.
The residents say the bad roads have made it difficult for vehicles to transport goods, resulting in an increase in the price of gasoline and food items. They also say the bad roads have led to an increase in transport fares.
“The roads are so bad that it takes hours to travel from one point to another,” said one resident. “This has made it difficult for us to get our goods to market, and the prices have gone up.”
Another resident, Marie Ngoufack, said the bad roads have made it difficult for people to get to work and school.
“The roads are full of potholes, and it’s dangerous to drive on them,” she said. “I have to wake up very early in the morning to get to work on time, and I often get home late because of the traffic,” she said.
The residents say they have appealed to the government to fix the roads, but nothing has been done.
“We are tired of empty promises,” said one resident. “We want the government to fix our roads so that we can live in peace.”
The bad roads from PK 18 to PK 21 are a major problem for the residents. The roads make it difficult for people to get around, and they have also led to an increase in the price of basic commodities.
“The roads are so bad that when 6 pm meets you in town, you will have to pay 1000frs from PK 18 to PK 21, a distance of 200frs. Tsamo Josiane
“The prices of foodstuffs have increased very badly. Gaz, that is 6500 frs; it is sold here for more than 8000 frs because of the conditions it goes through before reaching here,” she added.
The government has neglected to fix the roads for many years, and the residents are now at their wit’s end. They are calling on the government to take action and fix the roads so that they can live in peace.
Douala is known for the bad state of the roads in nearly all of the town. It is difficult to find a straight line without potholes.
Douala has an acute problem with roads, and despite efforts made by the government and the city council, the issue still persists given the rapid degradation, which gives the impression of starting all over again every time. A case in point is the newly constructed road running from Ecole Publique Deido to the university residential area, Ange Raphael.
Though the roads were re-tarred less than a year ago, It is already full of fissures and potholes around the stretch passing through Camtel Bepanda. At the level of the bridge near SIC Cacao, a gully that started a few months ago has now led to many potholes, making circulation inaccessible with unending traffic.
The road linking Bepanda to Makepe Missoke is a nightmare for the users, and the same is true for the road leading Bepanda Tonnere to Bonamoussadi.
“Douala has no roads again as of now” is the popular slogan now running in the mouths of inhabitants.
