Cameroon’s Crumbling Roads: Ekong Incident Sparks Outrage Over Quality and Governance

The suspects, caught loading gravel into a truck, were handed over to local gendarmerie. But the act, condemned as vandalism by authorities, has triggered broader questions about the state’s infrastructure integrity, public discipline, and governance under President Paul Biya’s decades-old administration.

The road section, still under warranty and only months past provisional reception, was allegedly built “according to standards” as per the Ministry of Public Works (MINTP). Yet, the ease with which villagers could dig up gravel has sparked criticism from engineers and civil society observers. “A properly constructed, tarred road should not allow for manual excavation of foundational material,” said one civil works expert in Yaoundé. “This is either poor-quality engineering or nonexistent oversight — or both.”

Pattern of Failures

The Ekong incident is not isolated. In March 2024, a newly completed section of road in the Douala V subdivision, Littoral Region, collapsed just days before its scheduled inauguration. The stretch, part of a municipal project connecting Bépanda to Logpom, caved in after light rains. A subsequent investigation revealed substandard drainage and improper soil compaction — common factors behind premature infrastructure failure across the country.

The Bonabéri expansion corridor, including the area surrounding the new Wouri Bridge and flyover, has also come under scrutiny. Commissioned with fanfare fewer than five years ago, the area now shows advanced degradation. Cracked gutters, sunken manholes, and ponding water have marred the route, raising concerns over both construction quality and long-term planning.

While official statements frequently tout “compliance with technical standards,” the evidence on the ground often tells a different story. Many road projects in Cameroon deteriorate within months or a few short years of completion, leading to repeated, costly rehabilitation efforts — often by the same contractors.

Public Responsibility or Systemic Failure?

Authorities were swift to condemn the villagers in Ekong for their “lack of patriotism,” and pledged “exemplary sanctions.” Yet critics argue that state failure is a core enabler. “When people dig up a road and sell it, it speaks to more than crime — it speaks to disillusionment,” said a bystander, speaking under anonymity for fear of government reprisal. “It is what happens in states where public assets are no longer seen as shared property.”

Cameroon, under President Paul Biya since 1982, has faced recurring criticism over governance, corruption, and lack of transparency in public infrastructure spending. Road development, in particular, has been marred by reports of embezzlement, political favoritism in awarding contracts, and minimal accountability.

A 2023 audit by Cameroon’s Supreme State Audit Office flagged multiple irregularities in procurement and implementation across several Ministry of Public Works projects. Yet no major prosecutions followed.

Trust Deficit

In a country where “development” often amounts to periodic resurfacing of the same failing infrastructure, citizen trust is eroding. “These are not isolated incidents,” said a civil engineer based in Douala. “They are symptoms of a larger problem: a political economy that views roads not as public service, but as opportunity — for photo ops, for payouts, for patronage.”

As the Ekong case proceeds to legal review, the broader questions remain: How many Cameroonian roads can withstand five rainy seasons? How many communities believe those roads belong to them? And more critically, what remains of a state when neither its infrastructure nor its people hold?

Reported by Cameroon Concord – National Affairs Desk