Movement was limited to some extent in the capital city Yaounde, yesterday April 2, 2013. The usual traffic jam noticed especially during rush hours in the morning was almost completely absent as less cars could be seen plying the major streets. The situation was due to the official launching of a joint control mission to check vehicle documents in urban areas in the country. The joint control mission is made up of elements from the police, national gendarmerie and the Department of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transport.
At the Central Police Station Number One yesterday, some 70 elements of the police and the gendarmerie from all the Sub-divisions of Yaounde lined the courtyard of the police station waiting for instructions before going to the field. In a brief ceremony, the Police Commissioner Simon Mbankwene gave the guidelines to the security men on what they are expected to do on the field. The men in uniform were released at 10:50 a.m. Police Commissioner Simon Mbankwene said the forces of law and order are expected to work in the different zones in the city and that the campaign is indefinite.
The presence of the forces of law and order was a nightmare to many drivers and vehicle owners who did not have the required documents. Many drivers preferred to park their vehicles to avoid being caught by the control teams. Paul Obama, a driver in Yaounde, said he decided to take a cab to town because his vehicle did not have any document. Many drivers and vehicle owners in Yaounde found themselves in the same situation. However, after midday, traffic jam could be seen around certain areas where control teams were checking documents.
According to a release from the Ministry of Transport signed by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mefiro Oumarou, the joint control mission is out to check faults violating road safety rules and regulations. The faults include absence of a driving licence, overloading, registration number, technical state of the vehicle, use of telephone while driving, insurance, CEMAC number plates and windscreen licence, among others. The Secretary of State for Transport calls on all road users to regularise their situations as defaulters will be sanctioned according to the law in force.
