Cameroon’s Road Crisis: Heavy Vehicle Ban on Yaoundé-Douala Highway

The directive, sent to regional governors, specifically targets the Yaoundé-Douala highway and other critical routes, calling for immediate restrictions on the use of these roads by heavy trucks and transport vehicles.

The move comes in response to reports from the Minister of Public Works, Emmanuel NGANNOU Djoumessi, highlighting significant wear and tear on the Yaoundé-Douala highway. Despite the fact that this major roadway has not yet been formally commissioned, the section from Nkolbisson to Boumnyebel is already showing signs of damage, largely due to the heavy use by trucks carrying logs, construction materials, and other heavy goods. This premature degradation has raised alarms within the government, prompting urgent measures to protect the infrastructure.

The Yaoundé-Douala highway, a vital link between the country’s political and economic capitals, has already seen substantial investment, with the first 60 kilometers costing 423.6 billion FCFA. However, the ongoing maintenance and protection efforts are expected to inflate these costs even further. Experts suggest that the repairs and additional protective measures could push the total expenditure for this section alone to nearly 500 billion FCFA.

Further exacerbating the situation, recent issues on the Bonepoupa-Yabassi road have drawn criticism. The road, which spans 51.3 kilometers and originally cost 36.7 billion FCFA, saw its budget inexplicably rise to 41 billion FCFA before a significant portion collapsed. This has forced the Ministry of Public Works to intervene once again, with predictions of an additional 10 billion FCFA needed to address the issues.

As the government grapples with these costly setbacks, Minister NGANNOU Djoumessi is under fire for delaying the start of the second phase of the Yaoundé-Douala highway. Unlike Minister Louis-Paul Motaze, who supports a public-private partnership model similar to the Kribi-Lolabe motorway project, Djoumessi prefers to maintain direct control over the project through his ministry. Critics argue that this approach has been plagued by inefficiencies and rising debts, questioning the management capabilities of Djoumessi and his team.

In nearly a decade at the helm of the Ministry of Public Works, Djoumessi’s tenure has been marked by significant financial overruns and project delays. The combination of the Bonepoupa-Yabassi road issues and the inflated costs of the Yaoundé-Douala highway’s first phase alone represents a financial burden of almost a billion dollars (approximately 500 billion FCFA) to the Cameroonian taxpayer.

In light of these developments, Minister Atanga Nji’s directive is seen as a critical step in safeguarding Cameroon’s infrastructure investments. The enforcement of restrictions on heavy vehicles is expected to prevent further damage, though it also raises concerns about the impact on trade and transport in the region.

As Cameroon continues to invest heavily in its infrastructure, the effectiveness of these measures will be closely watched. With substantial sums already spent and more likely to be required, the government’s handling of these projects will be a key factor in determining the future of the country’s road network.

The situation underscores the broader challenges facing Cameroon’s infrastructure development, where escalating costs and management inefficiencies continue to strain public finances. As the country moves forward with its ambitious construction agenda, the balance between rapid development and sustainable management remains a delicate one.