Bamenda:
Security checkpoints ‘blind’ to persistent taxi overcrowding despite Covid-19 measures

Cameroon’s transport minister has laid down a number of measures to combat Covid-19 spread including restricting overloading.

Many have however pointed loopholes in the said measures, making them nearly impractical.

In Bamenda, chief town of the North West Region, travellers say the situation has not changed as they are still crammed into taxis like before.

“The government recently made releases on respecting COVID-19 measures, but the police and drivers do not care,” a passenger says.

Displaying a heavily crowded taxi that plies the Bamenda-Bambili road, he paints an image: “This is the front where the driver carries three passengers and himself to make four, and four behind”.

This is despite the fact that there are four police checkpoints on the said stretch of road.

With the prevailing situation, it remains unclear how government intends to effectively combat the spread of the virus.

Mimi Mefo Info