Fighting Ghost Towns/Special Lockdowns, A Collective Responsibility

Bamenda City Mayor, Achombang T. Paul

The Bamenda City Mayor has conveyed a meeting with traders in the City asking them to refrain from the respect of Ghost towns and special lockdowns, persuading them to promote development by coming out every Monday and open their buisnesses.

Bamenda I Mbigha Felix, Bamenda II Chenwi Peter and City Mayor

He was speaking in Bamenda on December 10th, to traders from the Bamenda Main Market, foodmarket and to other men/women across town who came to listen to him, urging them to be the backbone of success in terms of development and restoring Peace.

Ghost towns have become a way of life for many inhabitants living within the North West Region, since the inception of the Anglophone crisis turned an armed conflict. 

Partial View of Traders

Peoplehave told Stories of fear, loosing their lifes or property if seen at their business place on these Mondays or on special  lockdowns.

The Mayors of Bamenda I, Mbigha Felix and Bamenda II, Chenwi Peter together with the City Mayor, Achombang T. Paul believe the traders can deny the existence of ghost towns by Separatists fighters and go about their buisnesses normal, to regain economic boom.

"Tell those in the diaspora to send money so we can buy bricks and build Bamenda, not buy bullets to kill one another. It is a new dawn and we have decided to build the town and we cannot build the town when the morality of the people is low" Achombang T. Paul.

Bamenda II Mayor, tells the traders "staying at home on Mondays, will not prevent you from paying your rents or sending your children to school. You all have bills to take care of and he who wear shoes knows where it pinches. The Bamenda II council is your neighbor, let's join hands and build this city" Mayor Chenwi Peter.

Other speakers who gave their version on what needs to be done to puncture the existence of ghost town, they complained about being tagged as "Amba" on several occasions due to their movement on ghost towns, driving to the suburbs,in areas where people rarely go.

Tamanjong Gerald, is the youngest driver in the driver's union and is President for the Mezam professional drivers Union.

"Take a taxi driver who has paid all his books considering his expenses, if you park your taxi because of ghost town calculate how much you are loosing, how do you pay your taxes, send children to and pay school fees, pay other bills. So please let's rally ourselves and stop the ghost towns". He told traders at commercial avenue.

President of Transport Syndicates

Regional President for transport syndicates Nchindo Ndi Ivo, said he has been tagged Amba on several occasions but that has not prevented him from transporting people. To him it is his place to ensure that people are transported to their different destinations with ease.

"The driving sector, trade union for drivers is not for politics but for the flow of circulation. We are out to transport persons in town and we suffer because of all the suburbs that we go, we get tagged as Amba most times, but we yearn for Peace and we will work for Peace".

Frankline Muluh is a buisness man, he tells traders that the issue of ghost town is long Overdued and asked traders to define for themselves who was suffering the effects most.

"The armed Conflict has gradually turned to money making, we sit in our homes on ghost towns, yet our rents don't change, some parents have not been able to send their kids to school due to alot of difficulties. We should make efforts and fight ghost towns" he said.

According to the City Mayor, there will come a time when there will be an economic boom, he unveils the plan to build a market where there will be a parking space for everyone and continues to appeal with the traders about the need for buisness to stand on it's feet again," the buisness community should contribute in exhonorating the town".

"If u are in this town and you don't open on Mondays we will help you not to open , teachers should go to school on Mondays, buisness men should go to their workshops, if this is not followed then we will know that it is your plan to puncture the development of the town." City Mayor added.

Some traders told the press about attempts to yield to the Call from Government to stop ghost towns endangered their lifes, they say observations will be done before taking a step again.

"We have attended a meeting before conveyed by administration about making efforts to fight ghost towns, I came to my shop and gun men came and shot persons arround me and I sustained injuries. We are leaders in the market and we don't have security that guide us, so this matter is delicate" Trader.

"The City Mayor has spoken and has not given traders the chance to air their views, it is good he came to talk with the people but after this when you are caught you are the only person who suffers. Sometimes we live our homes to do community work, yet one doesn't feel safe whether you are seen by the armed forces or the boys, either of the armed groups one is not safe" Another Trader said.

By Ndefru Melanie

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