By Bakah Derick
Traffic was again slowed for several hours during the early evening hours of Wednesday 7 September 2022 along the Bamenda-Bambui road due to flooding at the bridge linking Mile three and mile four Nkwen.
The mile four bridge as it is commonly called over Nkie-Mufeh could not manage the water that came down from the Ndzah and Bamendakwe hills following heavy rains again.
Though a regular occurrence, The rains came this time when an escavator was on site opening up the water way in what the Bamenda III Council Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwe described as a temporal measure to solve the flooding crisis.
The escavator operator had to suspend work due to the heavy nature of the rains and the flood as onlookers watched the flow across the bridge in desperation. A few dared the flood waters and succeeded while some motorcycles and cars will have to stay off the road for days for repairs as they got damaged in the floods.
While admitting challenges created by poor waste management and embankments erected along the water way, Mayor Fongu Cletus has expressed the hope that the temporal measure provides some relief.
While sympathising with those who have suffered as a result of the floods along the bridge, he has indicated that the competent regional and national structured charge with bridge construction on national roads have been contacted and informed about the precarious situation.
The escavator is expected to return on site today to continue work after Wednesday's floods
Contructed in the early 80s, the bridge over Nkie-Mufeh seems small to contain the volume of water that comes to it. Observers are suggesting a reconstruction with purpose of improving the size and height.