Works on the Bangem- Melong road has intensified ahead of the November 2023 International Banana/Plantain Festival celebration in Bangem, Kupe Muanenguba Division, South West Region.
The road construction company currently working on the road is concentrating on the Mbuassum – Bangem stretch of road. Meanwhile the 36km stretch of Melong – Bangem road is expected to be tarred by surface stressing.
According to the technical director of the construction company, Nkwelle John Njikang, they have also constructed bridges along the road already. He said major innovations on the road will include placing pavement bricks on steeps hills along the road. He mentioned the Muanyet hill, the Muangwekan hill and wetlands.
The technical director disclosed that they are currently engaged in earth works, grading, putting in place of the base course, and drainage works.
Nkwelle added that with November 2023 already at their nostrils, the team on site will commence with the carriage way works and finishing works. “We have started already transporting tarring gravel from Bafoussam while we wait for the road to get dry enough for tarring. The job execution rate is currently at 40 percent” Nkwelle stated.
The engineer revealed that over six concrete culverts have been constructed along the road with a bridge at Muangel. He said the construction of gutters which started in Muakwe village has gone far to other villages along the road.
Meanwhile, the Divisional Delegate of Public Works, Kupe Muanenguba, Renny Shu added that, from the speed at which the project is being executed, some parts of the road will be tarred before November 2023. He said this will only happen if rain reduces because tarring cannot be carried out when the soil is wet.
According to the delegate, even if the road tarring is not executed before November, the road will not pose a major challenge to users because the most essentials threats have been handled.
Reactions
The President of Motorbike Riders Association, Bangem, Mbogwe Martin Epie alias Mebenga expressed joy that with the intensity of works and the tarring of Bangem – Melong road, their stress and suffering will reduce. He however pleaded with the government to evaluate and approve good contractors and engineers to work on the road.
Epie Roger, a driver in Bangem regretted that stakeholders will wait for a festival before working on the road. He said with the continuous rainfall in Bangem, they suffer to ply to road daily. The diver said the one-hour drive from Bangem to Melong has extended to two hours because some patches of the road are extremely bad. “I spend close to FCFA 25.000 weekly to repair my car. This weighs on the passengers because we have increased the transport fare from FCFA 2000 to FCFA 2500.” Epie lamented.
Also, an inhabitant of Bangem, Ediage Felix questioned why the construction company will wait until the heart of the rainy season before intensifying work on the road. He said this laxity should be curbed by the Divisional Delegate of Public Works, Kupe Muanenguba.
By Remedy Ekukolle
