Commuters, drivers, pedestrians, and business operators using the Bamenda Urban Crossing have expressed satisfaction with the ongoing road construction works being carried out by BUNS Construction Company.
Many road users who spoke during a tour to the project site praised the speed and quality of the works, which currently stand at 31 percent completion.
Pa Samuel (a name ascribed to him by The Observer), a taxi driver operating in Bamenda, commended BUNS Construction for the effort already made on the project.
“They are doing a great and fantastic job,” he said. “But we need to control the speed at which bike riders move on this road to avoid accidents.”
Another driver also appreciated the transformation gradually taking place in the city.
“The works are bringing back the beauty of Bamenda,“Once this project is completed, it will truly become a jewel for the town.”
Since work officially started in November 2025, BUNS Construction has focused mainly on the construction of bridges and drainage structures to ensure the project progresses smoothly before the peak of the rainy season.
According to Metuge Ramesse Ngalame, Chief of Mission for Didon Conseils, the official technical control and supervision mission for the Bamenda Urban Crossing project, the works have been progressing steadily.
“Hopefully, we will complete the project by the end of February 202, Our main focus now is to finish all major structures like bridges and waterways before the heavy rains begin around the end of June. This will allow pavement works to move faster afterward.”
He explained that two major bridges are currently under construction; the Mile Two Bridge and the Food Market Bridge. Both structures are being built directly on-site.
According to him, once these two bridges are completed, structural works on the project will stand at nearly 80 percent completion. The remaining structures will mainly be smaller culverts that have already been prefabricated and can be installed quickly.
Despite the progress made so far, project officials say there are still major challenges affecting the smooth execution of the works.
One of the major difficulties is the continued occupation of buildings located within the project’s right of way by some residents, even after compensation has already been paid.
“Some people have already been compensated but are still occupying their structures,” Metuge Ramesse Ngalame explained.
He also raised concerns over the dumping of waste and garage materials into riverbeds, describing it as another serious obstacle affecting construction works.
“We are appealing to the population to stop dumping waste into the rivers because it disrupts construction activities and drainage works,” he said.
The issue of delays caused by disputes over compensation was also addressed by the North West Regional Delegate of Public Works, Nfor Cyprian Ngenge.
According to him, the competent authorities are already handling such disputes to ensure the project continues without unnecessary delays.
“There are people who believe the compensation they received was not enough, and they continue trying to delay the project but we are working closely with the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, the Ministry of State Property and Land Tenure and other competent services to ensure that all disputes are resolved properly and that work continues smoothly.”
Project officials further appealed to the population to continue cooperating with the construction company in order to ensure the timely completion of the road.
The Bamenda Urban Crossing is a major road project supervised directly by the Ministry of Public Works with support from the World Bank and the Government of Cameroon.
The 6.5-kilometre road project is expected to cost approximately 30 billion Francs CFA.
Meanwhile, the North West Regional Delegation of Public Works is also supervising the construction of the Welcome to Bamenda–Akumbele–Ecole des Champions road project, which is also being executed by BUNS Construction Company.
Works on that stretch currently stand at more than 93 percent completion. According to the Regional Delegate, only the installation of street lighting remains.
For the stretch from Ecole des Champions to Amour Mezam, works have already been completed pending the provisional reception of the road.
The visit to project sites falls within the framework of the impact assessment of the ongoing Urban Crossing and other road projects in Bamenda town, the Regional Delegation of Public Works organized an official visit to the project sites to acquaint journalists with the level of execution and quality of the work.
The outing also aimed at assessing public perception of the projects and identifying the challenges faced by the company in charge of executing the works.
The completion of these road projects will greatly improve circulation, beautify the city of Bamenda, and boost economic activities across the region.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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