Far North population faces difficulty after Motor-bike ban

The ban on motorcycles in the rural areas in the far North has profound consequences on the daily lives of people. Not without recalling the vital importance of these means of transport rooted in the area.

In mid-August 2014, the Governor of the far North region, Midjiyawa Baert, decided to ban "the movement of motorcycles, day and night in rural areas", before returning a few days after to the systematic prohibition of two-wheeled vehicles in only three of the six departments of the region: Mayo - Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone and Chari. This decision for the less imperative has profound consequences on the experiences of the populations of these departments.

"For those who know the area, they can better testify that the bike is part of their life.”One might imagine, life without bike in the far North and even throughout the great North", worries Saliou Gérard, a seller at Mokolo, capital of the Mayo-Tsanaga.

This town, like many others in the region, lives mainly from food from the surrounding villages. "We have all parked our bikes, even though it is our only way to travel here, with the bicycle. I do not know if the Governor wants that we should be moving on donkeys' wondered a nurse in Roua,, a few kilometres from Mokolo.

Here, civil servants, merchants and wealthy farmers were forced against their will to park their vehicles. Consequence: many are obliged to travel 15 km on foot to join Mokolo. This is the case of Helewai, teacher, making this journey on his head some 20 kilograms of food prepared by his mother.

Here, civil servants, merchants and wealthy farmers were forced against their will to park their vehicles. Consequence: many are obliged to travel 15 km on foot to Mokolo.

"The only transportation agencies are at Mokolo. We who are in the villages pay high price for this decision by the Governor "explains a teacher. At Maroua where the use of taxis has just been reintroduced, you barely see them. "Many teachers must reach their schools every morning. This is why they prefer motorcycles "explains a teacher of the locality, in Mayo-Sava.