Commercial Motor Bike Riders and private motorbike owners within the Mezam Division in Cameroon’s North West region have described as stringent a prefectoral order defining and regulating the use of motorcycles within Mezam Division.
In a conflict hit locality where the exploitation of motorcycles has been considered a suicide mission, Mezam SDO, SONGA PIERRE RENE outlined measures for motor bike owners to adhere to if they intend to circulate within Mezam.
He says commercial and non-commercial motor bike owners circulating in the Mezam must be in possession of:
(1) A valid national identity card
(2) a registration certificate for both commercial non commercial bikes
(3) Commercial bikes must have their petrol tanks painted in yellow and the rider dressed with the regular jackets provided by municipal authorities.
In addition to these measures and notwithstanding their previous registrations, the SDO calls on owners of motorbikes to register themselves at either the Bamenda City Council or at respective Subdivisional councils in Bamenda.
The commercial motor bike sector believed to be the shock absorber of Cameroon’s high unemployment rate, is one of the areas most affected by the crisis hit North West and South West regions.
Most young anglophone Cameroonians, who out of unemployment found daily bread in the commercial motor bike sector have become frustrated due to the persistent interference in their activities by local administrative authorities. Since the start of the anglophone crisis, commercial motor bike business in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon have been characterised by suspensions, bans and seizure of motor bikes by the army and separatists fighters .
There have been several reports of people tagged as separatists and killed because they were either riding their bikes during restricted hours or in suspicious attire.
Many youths who depended on this sector for livelihood have been forced to abandon the sector as a result of the multiple risks involved. Those who dare to work on Monday’s have also come under attack from separatist fighters who consider Mondays as traditional ghost town days in these restive regions.
In Buea, Fako Division South West region of Cameroon, commercial motor Bike riders are yet to resume their normal activities after their activities were prohibited by the Mayor, Ekema Patrick Esunge early 2018. The mayor In a recent meeting with representatives of commercial motor bike riders, demanded them to consider working in Monday’s, as a condition for the ban to be lifted. Commercial motor Bike riders in Buea who consider the condition as suicidal, have not resumed work till date.
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