The conditions of roads in Nkambe, in the Ndonga-mantung Division, North West Region of Cameroon have moved from bad to worse recently, with movement of cars and heavy lorries becoming almost impossible.
The poor road conditions coupled with heavy rains have stranded dozens of vehicles and passengers on the ring road.
The state of the road is so bad that Mr. Musa Shey Mfor, Mayor of the Nkambe Council had himself galvanized council workers and members of the drivers union to try fixing the roads by themselves.
Speaking bitterly in a video shot at the scene of the repairs work, the mayor said “…although this is a ring road, the population has been trying for several years to make it passable. People going to hospital and to bury their loved ones are often stranded just like they are now.”
According to the Mayor, the Minister of Public Works had awarded the contract for the roads to be repaired to a contractor who has not shown up till date. “Since then, no job has been done, people move trying to go and burry their loved ones, they cannot pass. These are children who supposed to be on holidays by now, they are in mud for several days…” he ranted.
The contractor, whose name the Mayor simply called “Sanwi” has reportedly not shown up to perform the functions for which he was hired. “I don’t understand why he is being protected. You cannot be paid for a contract, you don’t do it, yet you are given more contracts. Is it a punishment to the peace loving people of Nkambe?”
Also at the scene of the community work, the president of the Nkambe drivers union also complained on the lack of action by the Nkambe elites.
“We have been on this road since last year, together with the Mayor. What the elites keep telling us is that the road has already been contracted, and would be repaired soon,” he complained.
“We suffered last year thinking things will be better this year, but here we are. everything has been worse,” he added
