Patriotism & self-reliance:

Nkambe population rehabilitate ring road with bare hands

SDO for Donga Mantung talks to the press, as hand made

rehabilitation works are progressing on the Nkambe-Ndu road

On 28 March 2016 an estimated 5,000 people cued along the Ndu-Nkambe stretch of the Bamenda Ring Road with spades, hoes, cutlasses, buckets, digging axes and wheelbarrows. Four trucks and a front-loader hired with financial contributions from local business owners in Nkambe ferried and tampered the gravel that was provided through ‘coup de couer’ for the purpose. 

                Transport vehicles plying the NDU-Nkambe stretch were grounded. No one was allowed to go to the farm on that eventful day. As early as 5 a.m, Jujus could be seen in all the quarters in Nkambe, Binshua, Binka, Mbot and Tabenken villages mobilizing the populations. Youths, elders and even kids defied the busy planting season to rescue the ring road which had been in tears begging for Yaounde to make a statement.

                Even the Divisional Officer for Nkambe, the Mayor of Nkambe as well as the Divisional Delegate of Public works did not only supervise the work but also worked all day long digging and transporting stones.

                For their part, the fons of Nkambe, Kungi, Mbot and Binshua were also very active moving from one spot to another encouraging the population.

                By 8 a.m, all the 19 notorious bad spots that had been a nightmare for commuters between Nkambe and Ndu had been rehabilitated. While women and children were busy collecting gravels, the men evacuated the poles of water in the middle of the road. From Nkambe end of tar to the most celebrated Yamba hill and Chory, truck loads of gravel were poured and tampered.

                To NdiEvaristus, the spontaneous intervention was significant and worthwhile especially given that it cut across the political divide.

                "I think those who failed to be part of this communal action would be judged by their consciences. There is no need for us to continue to wait for manners from heaven when we can provide food for our families," he concluded.

                The Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung, NgoneNdodeMesape Bernard who took time off his busy schedule to also participate in the community work, congratulated the population for their patriotism and self reliance. He told The Median that he has given firm instructions to the DO for Ndu and the Mayor to make sure that the Ndu population is also mobilized to rehabilitate the bad spots from Tatum to Ndu. 

                One of the elite of Nkambe, Pa Michael Nformi lamented that President Biya promised several decades ago that he was going to personally supervise the tarring of the ring road but until today that promise has not been respected. "We are ready to contribute money to tar this road. I think government is the people, and we are a people. We have been constructing schools and I see no reason why we cannot tar a road".

                Another of the elite NforNsakwa lamented: “it is pathetic that in the 21st century people still construct roads with their bare hands. We are here on the National Road number II (eleven), and as you can see, I am working.                                     We are the ones suffering; we cannot continue folding our arms and waiting for Yaounde to come and do the road. This road is a predicament to the development of this area. We cannot sell our farm produce; we cannot evacuate patients to hospitals, etc. I am satisfied that we have been able to provide a temporal answer to our cry".