Large heaps
of abandoned waste is one of the major things that welcome one to Bamenda these
days. These heaps grow everyday as households, residential areas and markets
continue to produce waste.
In Bamenda's
main streets and markets waste is everywhere. At Bamenda's food market where
waste is produced every day from perishable items like vegetables, fruits and
other food stuffs. Yet this monday when this reporter visited the food market
petty business men and women can be seen selling by these filthy heaps which
produce a very terrible smell.
As why is
the waste abandoned in such large quantities, the Bamenda City Delegate Vincent
Ndumu Nji was not available to answer us and so we spoke to the Mayor of
Bamenda III Council Fongu Cletus who tells us the bridge on the road leading to
the dump site in Mbelewa was destroyed by some unknown persons.
"The
waste in town cannot be picked up because the bridge on the road to the dump
site has been destroyed. The people incharge of waste collection ans disposal
in town called me to do something but I told them I don't have the means."
The Mayor said
The waste
management institution in town is HYSACAM. Their vehicles are parked and no
authority is available to talk to me. However a cleaner is seated outside and
accepts to talk to me on condition of anonymity.
"We use
to work in the evenings and in the morning but now we cannot because of the
curfew." She could not however answer why her authorities could not get an
authorisation from the Governor who has instituted the curfew.
There are no
signs the waste will be picked up soon as the repay of the bridge is not on
sight. Several other bridges linking neighbourhoods and inter regional towns
have been destroyed. The action has been linked to armed groups fight for the
independence of Southern Cameroon though no one has claimed responsibility for
the cutting of bridges.