North West Region’s Invisible Roadblocks, Fear or Support?

The past weeks have seen most roads into and out of Bamenda blocked by separatist fighters to arm-twist the government to yield to their demands.

In Ndop, Ngohketunjia Division, separatist fighters blocked the road in Babessi, demanding the release of family members of self-proclaimed ‘General’ No Pity.

In Bali, the Bamenda-Enugu corridor was blocked to force the government to reverse a three-month ban on motor bikes.

The Bambui- Fundong road was blocked to force the government to release some 8 drivers who allegedly conducted park elections in a separatist’s camp in Bambui.

North West governor, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique, on August 13th announced that in a week the blocks will be cleared and circulation reinstated.

A few hours after his pronouncement, raids were conducted in Bali and in Bambui, reports say.

Sources say cars that were used to block the roads have been pushed away and the roads are now open, yet no cars are plying the roads.

Fear or Solidarity?

With the Bali road now cleared and Bambui -Fundong road also cleared, there are still no hopes of normal traffic resuming on the roads.

Road users continue to wallow in misery, still waiting for separatists to authorize them to use the roads.

Foodstuff are getting bad; stores are running out of supply.

Locals have now become used to trekking from Bali to Bamenda and back, a situation some have described as sweet pain. It is the same situation along the Bambui -Fundong Road.

Commuters now hire wheel barrows in Bambui and push their luggage right up to Mbingo to continue their journey to Njinikom and Fundong.

Even coffins are transported in the same manner as an invisible hand continues to dictate the situation.

By Timfuchi Aaron