Clandestine transport is still a cause for concern in Douala. As a result, numerous transport unions recently threatened to go on strike, arguing that illegal transporters had overtaken the sector.

One of the grievances they presented to the Minister of Labour and Social Security in the presence of the Littoral Regional Delegate for National Security was, therefore, clandestine transport activities.

In respect of their own side of the deal that called off the strike action, authorities intensified the fight in Douala following instructions from the Senior Divisional Officer.

Last week, some 238 vehicles were impounded by law enforcement officers in collaboration with administrative and municipal authorities. Most of the vehicles lacked driver’s badges, road-worthiness attestations, CEMAC number plates, driver’s and windscreen licences, among others.

Some were also impounded for overloading while others were not painted in yellow, the official colour of township taxis.

The impounded vehicles are in different Municipal Impoundment Centres in Douala, including Bonamoussadi, Youpwe, PK 12 and Ndogbong. For each offence, car owners pay FCFA 25,000 in fines and FCFA 15,000 impoundment charges.

FCFA15,000 is added each night an impounded car spends in the centre. Though the measures to fight clandestine transport are good, a taxi driver, Lowa Jean Calvin, who paid a fine of FCFA 40,000 for overloading, regretted that the documents for which the cars are impounded are not produced upon retrieving the vehicles. “Paying fines is all the Impoundment Centres care about,” he said.