Bamenda once regarded among Cameroon’s cleanest cities now projects a contrary image as traders are making the Commercial Avenue (Bamenda’s Central Business District) their dumping ground.
The poorly disposed waste and it’s odour fixed at the center of one of Bamenda’s most busy streets is now fading the beautiful impression of visitors who had previously heard of the city’s glory.
While calling for sanctions against perpetrators, some city dwellers have frowned at the unhygienic, nonchalant and careless behaviour of traders which exposes the entire population to the risk of diseases.
The waste disposed at the city’s center contains plastics, empty cartons and even degrading fruits and foodstuff. The town which is often projected as neat during official visits of top government officials and international guests is currently messed up, despite the endeavours of the city council and garbage collection company.
Despite massive criticism of the city Council’s efforts, Some city dwellers instead condemn the traders and residents around Bamenda’s main market and the Commercial Avenue for their dirty habits and lack of sense of hygiene.
Some of them do so because they think its far from their homes or comfort zone, but forgetting to know it affects all in the end, since their office and business are still found around the Commercial Street, one lady lamented in taxi passing along the street on her way to the hospital.
For others the blame lies in the hands of the municipal authorities and the garbage collection company for failing to provide dump sites and garbage collection cans, promoting residents and offices and shops along the street to find other alternative
“Its a disgrace that a market such as this does not have trash cans” a buyer at the Bamenda Main Market lamented, adding ” where do you expect the huge waste generated here to go to”
City officials are reluctant to respond to questions about the state of waste management in Bamenda simply saying there is a company incharge of that.
So far from what City web got, waste management in Bamenda is in the hands of a private enterprise known as Empire Company. Efforts to get to them proved futile but from information gathered, Empire lacks the necessary knowhow, resources and means to properly manage waste in Bamenda Municipality, leading to the huge backlog of urban waste waiting to be collected.
There is also the urgent need for more civic education on public hygiene and waste management at both school and public levels to be carried out in Bamenda as a way to fighting this growing phenomenon of poor waste management and treatment.
Report by Caspa Nuvaga and Abongwa Fozo