CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Chapter introduction

This chapter presents a background of the study, the study area. It also made known the  statement of problem which is the main reason behind this study,  it provides the Literature review  of vital review which focuses on the emergence and trend of informal sector (especially  roadside commercial activities). It also includes the research questions, objectives, and hypothesis.

1.1 Background of the study

A current global trend of the world population growth is about 50 million urbanites each year, roughly one million a week (World Cities Report, 2016). About 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase  to  68%  by 2050 (Yuhui et al.,2020). More than 90% of this growth is occurring in developing economies which  places intense pressure on urban infrastructure particularly transportation. In the context of today’s ever growing development challenges, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), perceive road transport as the ultimate means to a sustainable solution that supports development in Inland transportation, whereas, traffic congestion tends  to  increase with  increase  in  wealth as  consumers  purchase  more  vehicles whereas  the  supply  of  land  does  not  increase.  Therefore, roads and parking compete for land that is increasingly expensive due to demand for other uses. (Yuhui et al., 2020)

Projections shows that the gradual shift in residence of the p opulation could add another 2.5 billion people to  urban  areas  by  2050, with  close  to  90%  of  this  increase  taking  place  in  Asia and Africa (Yetnebersh, 2014). According to the 2018 Revision of World  Urbanization  Prospects produced  by  the  Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In Africa, about half of the travellers move around by foot. Yet in its cities, conditions for pedestrian walk remains increasingly dangerous (Fogwe, 2020). Pedestrians constitute a greater number of all road deaths, and in some developing countries, this proportion is high. A significant proportion of those who find employment in the urban informal sector in the developing areas engage in the buying and selling of goods.The rate of roadside commercial activities are increasing globally as a result of urbanisation and with this, there is an increase in demand  as so  many people get employed with  buying and selling of  food stuff  and other  sellable things at roadside, biking, and cap business, garages, restaurants, advertising caravans are the most dominant . Even though pedestrians are legitimate roadway users, they also engage in other road commercial activities like street vending, Hawking, advertisement caravans and frequently overlooked in the quest to walk over main carriageway, small effort towards accessibility makes a big difference in people’s life (Yetnebersh, 2014). Urban transport system and traffic management  problems remain one  of  the  most  nagging  problems in Cameroon’s transportations system today because of the  increase level of roadside commercial activities  mostly by  migrants who don’t have better jobs and those who are not educated . Major steps have been taken to tackle the problems caused by roadside commercial activities on traffic management. These problems surface when cities expand without control because  of  increase in population growth rate and the  increase in rural-urban migration in search for jobs and a better living standard for a sustainable livelihood (Aderamo, 2012).

Urban  transport  constitutes a major share of an economy’s  infrastructure.  The amount of investment in this area in any country is immense while cities present an engine for growth, roads constitute  the  main  infrastructure  serving  urban  connectivity  carrying  at  least  80%  of goods  and  90%  of  passengers.  These roads are   fundamental to  development  in  a  large  scale and  have  profound  a  personal  impacts  on  individual  lives  (Habitat  III  New  Urban  Agenda Report, 2017).  Urban transport  promotes  development,  link  people,  connects  local communities and facilitates trade within an urban area. The world would be severely limited in development without transport means and so many things will go wrong if traffic management is not insisted upon and properly implemented. (Fogwe, 2020).

A study of  the  changing  morphology  of  many Cameroonian  cities  gives  an  insight on traffic management  within the city  which if not managed,  will results to  massive delays, accidents, increased fuel consumption and  financial  losses.  Urban  nodes  are  attractive  for business  because  of  accessibility  and  market (population) but not sustainable in Bamenda  (Fogwe et al., 2015).  Due to the poorly planned road networks and haphazard land use, a  common outcome is the presence of small critical areas, which  are  common  growth  poles  for  congestion. Consequently, poor  traffic  management  around  these spots potentially results in traffic jams. (Njimanted, 2013).

In the city of Bamenda, much attention in managing traffic congestion and road commercial  activities  has often been given to the commercial avenue street (Central Business District, (CBD)(Atuazire leading towards  Sonac streets) with less regard  to neighbourhood  streets  which  are  recently  impaired  by  poor  parking.  Congestion has become a crisis in the Bamenda metropolis which has emerged as bourgeoning (doing well) trails  of  economic,  social,  cultural  and  intellectual  undertakings.  This results in too many vehicles, bad roads, vehicle breakdown  and  on-street  parking  affecting  all  age cohorts  of  urban  users.  According to (Yemmafouo, 2019), 

Transport nodes experience both organized and unorganized commercial developments around them as the commuters want to buy commodities for their daily households, feeding the commercial developments as buyers. This necessity promotes the development of unorganised sellers, especially street vendors, offering low-cost goods to commuters but forming encroachments around the transport nodes They form a self-sufficient, holistic and stable system of commercial development. Eventually the place emerges as an important transport node with commercial development, leading to Transit Oriented Developments. In Cameroon with a city like Bamenda, this tendency has become very common and  this  unorganized  commerce  forms  a  major  part  of  these  countries’  economy. (Ndoh, 2018) 

In   the  North  West  region  of  Cameroon,  traffic  flow  remains  a  daily  huddle  especially  in  the activity-population  concentrated  sections  along  whose  roads  lead  to  other  towns  and  areas  of the  Region  like  Bafut  and  Wum  leading  to  Menchum  Division,  then  Bambui,  Bambili, Babanki,  Mbingo,  Njinikom,  Fundong  in  Boyo  Division  to  the  North  East.  This  implies  that traffic  flow  towards  these  areas  suffers  from  car  traffic  jam, pressure  to  transport  goods  and persons (Fogwe, 2020). Major roads  in Bamenda II Sub Division within  a city  gets  interrupted  with  thoroughfare, settlements  along  the  roads,  and commercial  developments  abutting  the road. The fast movement of vehicles also gets hampered by slow moving vehicles, public transits and para transits (Oyeyemi, 2015).  The   aim  of  this  study  is  to analyse the relationship between roadside commercial activities and traffic management in Bamenda II Sub-Division . 

1.2:Presentation of study area

Bamenda II  Sub-Division   is  one  of  the municipalities of the Bamenda primate city in the Northwest  Region  of  Cameroon  (Figure. I ). It  is  located  between  latitude 5°54′ 0’’ to 6°0’10′’ and   longitude  10° 6′0’’ and  10°12′0’’  East of the Greenwich Meridian. It covers a surface area  of  about  172.6 km ² area and 1,068/km²  population density (CDP,2005)  and shares boundary with the  following  villages  to  the  north  by  Nkwen,  that  is Bamenda III Sub-Division , to the south east by Bamendakwe, that is Bamenda I Sub-Division , to the south by Akum, Bali to the south west. The layout of this area is made up of a series of road networks leading to administrative towns (Bamenda II  Council Development Plan, 2012). Bamenda II Sub Division was created by presidential decree No. 2007/1150 of 13 April 2007 and is made up of four Villages which are Mankon, Nsongwa, Chomba and Mbatu. The process of Urban expansion has also affected the lives of the people who have become involved in different types of formal and informal activities The location map of Bamenda II Sub-Division is located on figure 1.

Figure 1. Location of Bamenda II Sub-Division  of the North West Region of  Cameroon

Source: (Samba and Kuma ,2020)

1.2.1 Physical Background of Bamenda II Sub Division

1.2.1.1 Climate  and its Impact on roads side commercial activities and Traffic management in Bamenda II

The area  has a tropical climate and experience an annual rainfall of about 2000mm and an average temperature of about 26^o C . It experiences two seasons that is  a dry season from October to March and the rainy season from April to September but of recent this information is gradually becoming false because of climate change.( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022) For instance, in 2023 heavy thunder storm occur in the month of January and continued in march. ( for example the climatic condition of 2010 is totally different from what is being experience in 2023 globally it feels like this is a different world from the one from  2010-2015). From observation and studies,

Climatologist have discovered that the rate of climate change ( a persistence increase  in temperature and decrease  in annual rainfall) is rapidly increasing. With the shifting precipitation patterns and the rise in land temperature by 0.6 ^o C to 1.06^o C between 1880 and 2012 (IPCC, 2013),  there has been a decrease in crop yields exacerbated(worsen)  by the shifting precipitation pattern and decreased crop yields that are expected with climate change which has push many locals in the Bamenda II in search for jobs and better living standard thus causing an increase in the number of determined  population who want  to survive by all means as such most of them who are not educated engaged mostly in  informal activities such as selling food stuff at roadside, biking, and taxi  business, garages, restaurants, advertising caravans. Again, during the rainy season, the roads are always very bad especially areas with potholes which influence the rate of traffic congestion and during the dry seasons the roads are always very dusty making it difficult for the drivers and rider to see clearly due to the visibility problem caused by the dusty environment thereby making traffic management tedious.

1.2.1.2 Vegetation  and its Impact on roads side commercial activities and Traffic management in Bamenda II

The study area is situated in the Sudan-Savanna zone. the reason why the original vegetation of the area is Savannah scrub made up of tall grasses and stunted trees. Most watercourses had natural gallery forest but  most have been destroyed by the pressure of urbanisation. Due to vegetation type which does not favours the growth of dense and luxurious vegetation types many people rather get employed  with  roadside commercial activities. The present vegetation is characterized by grassland in undeveloped and uncultivated areas. Fruit and  eucalyptus trees have being planted in the  built and cultivated areas. Seasonal farmlands are also a common feature especially within the urban fringe and beyond. The flora is characterized by grass of  varied species such as elephant (Nappier grass), spear grass, and silver rose desmondium . These grasses are good for  animal farming. This area has also experienced afforestation. The soils are ferralitic, vertisolsa and andosols , which are easily eroded and cannot support  intense agricultural activities like market gardening where people involved can easily get earns means since vegetables takes between 40 to 70 days for most varieties to be ready hence most people especially those who are not really educated  prefer to concentrate more on the other road side commercial activities so  as to provide their needs and those of their family members.

( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.2.1.3 Soils and its Impact on roads side commercial activities and Traffic management in Bamenda II

  Bamanda II lies on the rich Volcanic soils that have been affected by erosional forces activated through leaching and hardpan soils which is difficult to till (except for some fertile areas beside major riverbanks  in Bamenda ll  like Naka river, Mulang etc ).Hence with very large portion made up of  infertile soil (ferruginous soils)very few  remain people depend only on agriculture especially due to the fact that  farmlands are relatively small  since the highest portion id use for the construction of houses and business centres as a result land left for agriculture is relatively small coupled with its infertile nature, so  people are left with no choice than to engage in other income earning jobs like the roadside commercial activities carried out along major  streets in Bamenda ll (Commercial Avenue, Ntarikon,  road leading to the food market) . Parts of the town lies in the basalt formation that forms part of the Cameroon  Volcanic Line (CLV), which extends from the Buea Mountain at the Coast, through the Mandara Mountain to Tibesti, Tchad. The soils here are ferruginous and alluvial soils (Mollisol) which are reddish brown  in colour  and have organic rich surface horizon with sufficient amount of calcium, These  are  the principal types of soil found in Bamenda town. These soils are rich in nutrients, especially alluvial soils found in the footprints of Mulang and Ngomgham . This explains the reasons  why a lot of agricultural activities (market gardening) are highly carried around these  valleys According  to Hawkins and burnt(1965) the soils texture differs  from one place to another. With the ferruginous soil which is dormant, with its hard pan composition and  the fact that has little moisture/nutrients  to support  great yields, the population has no choice than to engage in other commercial activities that  will support their families rather than depending completely on agriculture which needs more inputs in order to  have a greater produce. .( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.2.1.4 Relief and its Impact on roads side commercial activities and Traffic management in Bamenda II

Bamenda II municipality falls along the Cameroon  Volcanic Line (CLV)with an altitude ranging from 850 to 2550m above sea level. The Municipality occupies the undulating plain stretching southwards from the foot of the  Bamenda escarpment separating Up- Station from Down Town. Most of the altitudes parts of the area lies on the highland mountain chain of the North West and West Region of Cameroon. Due to the gentle nature of the relief of  most major road  in Bamenda II, it has encourage roadside commercial activities since its easier to build shades and even extends them on the road itself and a daily increase in the number of bikes and taxis on the road  causing a lot of delay in the  circulation  of goods and people in, out and within town. .( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.2.1.5 Drainage and its Impact on roads side commercial activities and Traffic management in Bamenda II

  The Bamenda II Sub-Divisional  is rich with all seasonal streams and rivers which drain the area naturally. However, deforestation has reduced the volume of water and some streams threaten  to dry up  completely . Flood plains are found along the low lying Nakah, Mezam and Ntenefor rivers to West, North and Northeast towards the cultural zone respectively. An artificial lake which provides drinking water to the central zone respectively. An artcifical lake which provides drinking water to the area is found to the South West at Ntanti in Mbatu.( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.2.2 Human Milieu

1.2.2.1 Increase Population

The Bamenda II Council Development Plan Demographic projection for 2023 estimated the population of Bamenda II  at 281974 (BUCREP, 2015). with an optimal carrying capacity of 140 person per  hectare of land suitable for urban development. The surface area was estimate at 165.605km2 and the population is made up of natives of the village Nemba people found in Nkwen, Mankon, Chomba, Mbatu and Nsongwa alongside immigrant from the neighbouring villages of Bafut, Bali Nyonga and other rural areas within the  North West and the west Regions. This population is not evenly distributed as the urban areas are more populated that its rural counterpart. .( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.3 Economic Structure

 1.3.1 Primary Activities

The primary sector which has to do with extraction from the natural environment  includes farming, hunting, and rearing of livestock in Bamenda II Sub- Division .This  set of activities turn to disturb free pedestrian movement because they operate at local level thus, most of them after extracting  their product which are often  perishable in nature, turn to display them on street making use of pedestrians’ path  and disturbing free  circulation of  vehicles, causing lots of traffic   and hindering its management. The secondary activities in Bamenda II Sub-Division include processing of raw materials to semi-finish or finished products which are later transported to the major markets for sale and these turns to affect the movements along the roads since it usually at times leads to congestion along the major high ways. The tertiary sector covers a wide range of activities from commerce to administration, transport, financial and real estate activities turn to create problems for pedestrians as they create a lot of traffic activities like education of which when students are going to school, they turn to use the major roads causing congestion and traffic along the major roads. Schools, they turn to use the major roads causing congestion and traffic along the major roads.  Also marketers who come out to create awareness about their product or institution turn crowd the major roads in the city .( Bamenda II Council Development Plan, 2022)

1.3. Statement of the Problem

Roadside commercial activities and traffic management within the city of Bamenda II Sub-Division appears to be one of the urban problems in the study area.  With the nature of roads within the city of Bamenda, there is rapid development of the city and increase in the number of car owners, illegal parking, inappropriate use of road sidewalks and poor traffic management on major urban road networks. The urban population of the city of Bamenda as a whole has increased from 9000 inhabitants in 1950 to about 1,279,904 inhabitants in 2020 (projection, 2020) which is projected to increase to about 1,488,759 inhabitants by 2035 (projection, 2035).  The Socio-demographic population explosion seems to have led to increase in the number of dependent people and changed the density in settlement spreading to new areas across the municipalities where road infrastructural development has not been planned. This appears to increase the concentration of the urban population on the limited roads.  The road infrastructural development within the Sub-Division has not been sustainable in order to sustain the economic activities or transportation demands of the growing population. These roads are deplorable in such a way that they have been reduced to patches of tarred surfaces. 

During the rainy season, the roads are largely abandoned and dilapidated so much such that these roads are usually covered  with  mud  while  they  remain  dusty  in  the  dry season.  This  is often  after  a  series  of  renovation  works  to  at  least  keep  the  roads  functional  which  usually leave  the  roads  in  no  better  conditions.  The  nature  of  these  roads  has  an  implication  on  the traffic situation of the city. The speed of moving vehicles on these roads is slowed down and creates  long  traffic  queues  as  the  vehicles  are  confronted  with  gallops,  potholes  and  narrow roads  that  inconvenience  movement.  This  has  created  a  situation  whereby  there  is  recurrent traffic  jams  within  the  city  at  particular  hours  of  the  day  on  a  daily  basis.  The  nature  of  the urban  roads  and  their  contribution  to  traffic  congestion  in  the  city  is  an  issue  that  cannot  be overlooked in planning.

Also,  inadequate  and  inefficient  implementation  of  parking  rules  and  regulations  by  the  Bamenda II Sub Divisional Councils within the town is a problem. This  inefficiency  in  planning  has a  bearing  on  the  traffic  and  parking situation  of  the  town  as  vehicles  owners  both privately  owned,  taxis  and  motor  bikes  tend  to park  haphazardly  on  sidewalks  occupying road spaces without any considerations for other road users.  This obstacle is observed in Mankon, Ntiob 1, Ndamukong, Meta quarters, Azire A, Azire B and Ntambag . Furthermore, unregulated loading and offloading by land transport agencies located along roadsides in the city are hindrance to free traffic flow that give way to traffic jam within the town. The practice of illegal parks created at each street, such as at Hospital Round About,,  City Chemist, Mobile Nkwen by motor bike riders and commercial taxis drivers, the sitting and location of transport agencies close to major roads axis such as Mondial  and  Vatican agencies at Sonac street, the construction of buildings by the road.  Sidewalks within Bamenda II have been turned into commercial stop points. Business persons use these sidewalks and even part of the road to display their goods leaving pedestrians with no choice but to use the roads reducing the road lane available to vehicles. The timing  of  markets  such  as    Food  market,  Main  market  and  Ntarikon  market  located  at  road  sides  coincides  with that of the opening and closing of office hours, and this increases traffic congestion problems.