Tons of foodstuff blocked on Bangem-Melong road

From Njingang Godwin, back from Bangem

 

Deplorable Bangem-Tombel road

Several tons of farm produce from Bangem enroute to Melong have gotten stuck on the way as the road continues to degrade and prove impassable for vehicles.

Last week, some four-wheel-drive vehicles loaded with cocoyams, bananas, yams and plantains that dared ply the bumpy road could be spotted broken down in large muddy pothole spots.

For a very long time now, many are people in Kupe Muanenguba division and Bangem in particular in the South West region who have complained that life becomes almost unbearable during the rainy season. The earth road to the divisional headquarters of Kupe Muanenguba division which receives less attention makes people in the area almost cut from the rest of the country.

This reporter observed that it now cost 7000FCFA from Tombel to Bangem, unlike the homologated 2500FCFA which obtains when the road is dry. Meantime, from Bangem to Melong, one has to spend 4000FCFA. Moreover, those who travel through the road have to muster the courage to mount motorbikes that negotiate the tiny footpaths. The Guardian Post even gathered that vehicles that embark on the ‘suicide mission’ get to Bangem or out of Bangem after days, if at all they succeed.

Traders in Bangem told this reporter that they spent days to transport their foodstuff to Melong. “When I hire a hilux to transport my plantains, at times the vehicle gets trapped on the way. I then have to pay extra money to motorbike riders to rescue at the bad spots. This happens on several spots, so you can imagine the time and cost. Some of my goods even get damaged in the process,” a trader confessed.

According to two plantain business women; Ehode Gladys and Aje Palle, it now cost 110000FCFA as against 30000FCFA for a Toyota Hilux to transport their goods from Bangem to Melong, plus other expenses which they incur as a result of the disastrous road.

The traders also complained that economic activities have greatly slowed down due to the bad roads and the consequences are highly being felt.

The unbearable nature of the road has also had a damaging effect on the farmers. Locals say an average bunch of plantain sells in Bangem for 400FCFA while it cost 950FCFA to transport same to Melong, a nearby market.

This year’s catastrophic Bangem-Melong road has left several indigenous Bakossi people to ponder where Bangem administrators pass when they go for their monthly salary.

“Does Kupe Muanenguba not have parliamentarians? Does the government not know that K/M exists? Are Bakossi men not ministers, directors, sub-directors…?” this reporter overheard a villager lamenting.