CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Back Ground of the Study

The world is becoming increasingly urbanized and half of humanity now lives in urban areas

more than 70% in Latin America, North America and Europe (UN-Habitat, 2010). Population in

urban areas are expected to double over the next 40 years (Donovan and Munro, 2013). These

changes express themselves most evidently in peri-urban areas leading to changes in social

patterns in such environments. Urban agglomerations are focal points in the economic, social and

cultural development of a region, at such triggers spatial interactions due to the range of

opportunities this region offers (Mattioli, 2014). These areas have assumed the central stage of

physical, social and economic transformation both in developed and in the developing world

(Webster, 2012). Accelerated urban sprawl results in persistent challenges to a large number of

urban areas across developed and developing countries (Aljoufie, 2014). Saudi Arabia along with

other Gulf countries have experienced extreme wealth, significant population growth and

increased car ownership since the oil boom in the 1970s, which led towards less sustainable

travel patterns such as congestion and air pollution (Aljoufie, 2014). In practice, interaction

strength can be measured by volumes of passengers (Xiao et al., 2013), migration flows

(Flowerdew and Lovett (2018), trade flows Spatial interactions between geographical entities

such as cities and regions help us to understand spatial structure of a region and plan an efficient

spatial configuration.

Africa has the reputation of being the world‘s leading theatre of conflict (Tangie, 2017). Conflict

is said to exist when two or more groups engage in a struggle over values and claims to status,

power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure or eliminate the

rivals. Conflict thus manifests in disagreement, anger, quarrel, hatred, destruction, killing, or war

(Lamb, 2016). Cameroon like many other African countries are going through difficult times of

ethnic diversity and conflicts (Tangie, 2017). This is evident in the current ongoing Anglophone

crisis. The Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon started by

common law lawyers and teachers of the two English speaking regions in 2016. It later on

escalated into an armed conflict that has precipitated a large influx of Cameroonian refugees into

Nigeria and many internally displaced persons (IDPs) all over the country. The effects of the

crisis have caused many people to migrate to less hostile environs within the Northwest and

South West region as well as safer spaces (other regions of the country). According to Fombe

and Balgah, (2012) the urban population in Cameroon doubled over a period of 30 years from

28.3% in 1976 to 44.3% in 2005. Urban population especially in IDPs recipient milieu will

continually be on the rise as a result of the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West

regions of Cameroon. A determining factor of these large concentrations is the availability of a

local transportation system. The patterns of development in cities are associated with the growth

of urban transport and mobility allowing access for people and goods (Rode et al., 2017). Public

transport which played an essential role in enabling people from low income and other

disadvantaged groups to access employment and services has been affected as a result of the

Anglophone crises in Bamenda in the North West region of Cameroon. Transport contributes to

the development of social networks and social capital, by helping people to visit friends and

relatives and take part in community and other social activities.

According to Torum (2012), the interplay of both “Push and Pull” factors at the points of origin

and destination stimulates migrations. The push factors, which cause migration include: political

fear, lack of food, unemployment, wars and unhappy lifestyle. The World Energy Council (2011)

summarised that ‘over the next four decades, the global transport sector will face unprecedented

challenges related to demographics, urbanisation, pressure to minimize and dislocate emissions

outside urban centers, congestion of aging transport infrastructure and growth in fuel demand’.

In Asian and some Western developed cities, public transport accounts for more than 51% of

daily trips while in car-orientated cities such as in the United States or the Gulf region it accounts

for less than 10% (UN Habitat, 2010). In Riyadh City for example, the current bus service shares

less than 2% of 8 million daily trips (Al-Fouzan, 2012; Alqahtani et al., 2012).

Providing transportation services which is adequate and appropriate is the challenge that is

encountered in almost all cities in the world (Wijaya, 2009). Mode of travel, journey time and

cost are three variables that influence transport decisions (Shove et al. 2015). Hine and Mitchell

(2010) looked at the extent to which the cost of fares presented an obstacle to travel. A lack of

transport opportunities has been shown to be a barrier to accessibility and social inclusion in

contemporary society, especially among people living in rural and sparsely populated areas

(McDonagh 2016; Farrington and Farrington 2015; Joelsson and Tanja 2019). Cities will always

have a new problem, which arise due to transportation system. In general, large cities in

developing countries are highly dependent to the road transport. Congestion with all its

consequences is a current common problems faced at the big cities around the world such as

Wuhan in china, lagos in Nigeria and Douala in Cameroon. This condition was occurred because

lack of balance/lack of fairness public policies that is issued by government to private vehicles

and public transport (World Overpopulation Awareness, 2019).

Satisfaction with public transport services can be influenced by the service quality that consists

of many factors (de Oña et al., 2013). Also Mouwen (2015) focused on customer view on public

city transport and also on drivers of customer satisfaction with public transport services in the

Netherlands. It was found that overall satisfaction with public city transport is influenced the

most by service attributes such as on time performance, travel speed and service frequency,

followed by personnel attributed (driver behaviour) and vehicle cleanliness. Previous studies

(Aljoufie, 2016; World Health Organization, 2013; Zhao, 2010) indicate that a rapidly increasing

population, urban sprawl and the proliferation of cars result in higher traffic volumes and

increased vehicular use, leading to congestion and other negative impacts such as air pollution,

greenhouse gas emissions and economic losses. The Development of fly over, under pass, toll

road is an example of a policy that aligned to private transport (private cars). On the other hand,

the performance of public transport will continue to push/decrease in line with the declining

performance of the road network as a result of the increasing use of private vehicles. To improve

performance of public transport so one of the policies that the government should be making is

buy the service and then re-plan public transport in a safe, comfortable and reliable, at the same

time with “disturbed comfortability of using private vehicle”. Funds for buying the service may

come from transport fund that is established by the government (ICLEI, 2013). Hatwar and

Gajghate (2014) argue that investment in public transport services is a compulsory quality leap

for more livable and accessible cities. Understanding human mobility patterns in conflict

environment helps in many fields including transport and traffic management (Gao et al., 2013).

Public transport plays a facilitating role in urban mobility (Banister, 2011) at such should be

given priority in developmental processes.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Recently, human mobility patterns have drawn much attention in the areas of geography (Lui et

al., 2012) spatial interactions between geographical entities such as cities and regions help us to

understand spatial structure of a region. Bamenda which is cosmopolitan city in Cameroon is

experiencing setbacks in its transportation services. These setbacks are as a result of the ongoing

conflicts in the north-west region of Cameroon. According to Adewale (2015) migration which

occurs as a response to social and political factors has effects on areas of origin as well as areas

of destination in the case of transport services which is the case of Bamenda. Rural communities

in the North West region of Cameroon who are most plaque by the armed conflict due to

destruction of homes, properties, and livelihood turn to flee to after spaces such as Bamenda and

its satellite towns like Bali, Mbengwi, Santa, Bambili, Bafut which is less hostile in quest for

survival.

The Increasing number of residents in Bamenda city as a result of the ongoing armed conflict has

increased the number of motor cyclist which is directly proportional to the number of motor

bikes littered around the city. The impact of the state of dilapidated roads in Bamenda which has

not received any maintenance since the beginning of the ongoing conflict in 2016, is much felt

by its inhabitants when all transport services such as buses, taxis, motor bikes and private utilizes

the roads at the same time thus leading to congestion. Similarly, other problems occur such as

increased travel time, increased transportation costs and increased frequency of road accidents

resulting from inadequate road infrastructures. Environmental problems such as air pollution,

vibration and extravagance of fuel consumption cannot be under looked as a result of transport

services (Tolba and Saab 2018). At such it is important to pay increasing attention to sustainable

transportation systems by enhancing or introducing public transit services.

1.3 Objectives of Study

1.3.1 The Main Objective of the Study

The main objective of the study is to examine the extent to which political instability has affected

transportation in Bamenda city and its environs in the North West region of Cameroon.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives of the Study

1) To examine how political instability has an impact on the transport services and

infrastructures in Bamenda and its environs.

2) To evaluate the challenges faced in transportation of persons in Bamenda and its environs.

3) To make suggestions and recommendations.

1.4 Research Question

1.4.1 Main research Question

What are the effects of political instability on transportation in Bamenda city and its environs?

1.4.2 Specific Questions.

1) How has political instability impacted transportation services and infrastructures in Bamenda?

2) What are the challenges faced in the transportation of persons in the city of Bamenda and its

environs?

3) What are the suggestions and recommendations that could be put in place to boast

transportation services in Bamenda?