How Ghost Towns Lock Downs Affect Towns Out Of NW

It has been three years and running, the sociopolitical crisis that moved in to a full arm conflict with deadly clashes recorded every day between state actors and non-State actors, has had  economic repercussions not only in the NW and SW but also on villages and Towns located on the highway from Bamenda to Yaounde or Douala. Economic operators on these stretches of road who depend on travellers going to Yaounde or to Douala completely ground businesses on Mondays, which are observed as Ghost Towns and worse during lockdowns which sometimes go for 10 Days.

To measure the gravity of Ghost Towns and lockdowns, this reporter took a trip to Yaounde and made a stop at Makenene and met this hawker selling peeled Pineapple. Susan Fiegn, strapping her seven months old baby, said she had escaped from Belo in 2018 where the father of her daughter Naomi, was shot dead accused of belonging to the Separatists group fighting the State. She said, "...I came here to live with my maternal uncle and got indulged in Hawking  for survival. Normally I make FCFA 3000 a day from hawking peeled pineapples and on ghost Mondays I am unable to make up to FCFA1500 and during lock Downs in the NW the effect is heavy on us here in Makenene...." On his part James Nfonkain who roast Sawyer, laments thus, "..since the advent of the crisis in my region because I come from Kom of Boyo division where it is hard hit, it has really affected my business seriously because most people who use to travel on this road have relocated from the NW and are permanently in Yaounde or other Towns and villages in Francophone area, so business cannot be at its best even on normal days of the week talk less during lock-downs. Those who manage to travel don't have money to spend freely like before maybe because the economy of the NW has collapsed .I have been in this business for over 19 years and my family depends on it for livelihood. I think government should change the method of seeking a solution to the ongoing crisis....my supply chain of goats from the NW has been cut off because my suppliers in the villages have all escaped for their dear life..." 

One Nina, a girl of about 22 who manages a privately owned public toilet at Makenene, told this reporter that when more people travel and stop at Makenene, she gets more customers and on Mondays traffic is so low and she could stay the whole day without making FCFA 500. She also noticed that most people speaking English or pigin have of recent resorted to using the nearby bushes to ease themselves..." 

The fruit market at Tonga in Bangante and at Melong have also witnessed a drop in turn over. Marie Djeukam, who trade in watermelon told this reporter that she use to sell 200 watermelon and of recent she barely struggles to sell 15 watermelon a day and Mondays she goes her to the farm since traffic won't be at it's best. Most of her watermelon gets bad since the necessary facility for long time preservation is lacking.

The transport sector is highly hit as all vehicles plying NW and SW are grounded on Ghost Towns days and during lockdowns. Driver's of Mondial express say they have learned a bitter  lesson after losing several of their buses to fire. Each time there is a ghost town or lock-downs driver's of these agencies park their vehicles and stay put. Taxi Drivers who survive from these parks are also hard hit given travelers would go to the park on these days. The tollgates collection is also affected given the reduced volume of traffic on these roads.
 This publication was made possible with the support from ADISI-Cameroon, a Douala based organization working on issues of access to information and freedom of expression. ADISI-Cameroon also works to promote open Data and Data journalism through its citizen Access to information platform, DataCameroon.

By Ignatius Nji