Portions of streets in most markets in the port city of Douala have been transformed by vendors into markets to the detriment of motorists, thus creating endless traffic jams. All efforts by the Douala City Council and law enforcement officers to keep pavements and shop verandahs free of encroachment have however been futile.

This irks many passersby and shopkeepers whose businesses are feeling the impact. The adamant vendors claim they are just struggling to eke out a living and have reiterated on many occasions that renting an average shop in some areas like the Douala Central Market is pretty expensive. However, the Market Master in the Central Market said there was enough space even for petty traders.

This ranges from 5,000 FCFA to 10,000 FCFA a month; while standard shops cost up to 35,000 FCFA a month. “These people don’t sell along the road because they lack money. They believe that by selling on street sides, they will make more money than in markets,” he explained. However, selling on lanes meant for motorists and pedestrians is not without consequences.

Petty traders selling from two-wheel hand carts, wheelbarrows or on mats, etc, oblige commuters to merely meander along to their destinations. In addition, some roundabouts and junctions have no traffic lights for the smooth flow of traffic. As a result of the overcrowding caused by the vendors and their wares, the risk of reckless drivers running over people is evident. Not long ago at the Grand Hanger Market, Bonaberi, situated along the street, a heavy-duty vehicle whose breaks failed, crushed traders and passersby. After the horrible incident, it did not take long for traders to return to the same street with their wares.

The overcrowding on such streets often gives rise to pick-pocketing. Many people have ended up not buying the articles they bargained for only to discover that their money was stolen. Such continuous disorder is a cause for concern. “Though the Municipal Police and law enforcement officers are doing their job, vendors, who are quite conscious of the consequences, continue with their activities” the Market Master lamented.