Crack down on traders in fight against urban disorder

Operation clean-up is well underway in Douala as city authorities descended on the streets to warn traders on the ongoing issue of merchandise and refuse blocking the roads.

Marché Mboppi, Camp Yabassi, boulevard du 27 août and Bonabéri were chosen by members of the control action platform against urban disorder and civil protection in Douala in its 8th crackdown.

Naseri Paul Bea Reeve Wouri, Fritz Ntone Ntone, government delegates from the Urban Community of Douala, the police and the CUD once again went to meet traders to tell them to only occupy space that is rightfully theirs and not in areas reserved for other road users.

A. Mboppi, president of the platform, asked retailers to change their mentality and keep the surplus of goods and merchandise stored inside shops instead of spilling out onto the streets.

A police station will be installed in the coming days to ensure the respect and the implementation of decisions taken by the platform. Parking bays will be established and there will be a square for all door and delivery areas.

It is the same story at Camp Yabassi, where refuge was found littering the streets outside garages and shops selling spare parts and hardware. Traders were given just 48 hours to thoroughly clear all the pavements and roads.

Leaflets detailing scheduled garbage collections were handed out in Boulevard du 27 août in a bid to prevent the deposit of waste on public roads.

The last step for the team is to come up with an immediate solution to reduce the obnoxious smell polluting the air and troubling the residents of Bonabéri, which arises from traders selling animal food.

Back at the debrief meeting, Naseri Paul Bea acknowledged that things are going in the right direction after listening to the various committees and seeing that some traders already adhere to the idea of making Douala cleaner.

Doula II is next on the list to conquer where bad habits have already started to take over.