The population of Bamenda are facing increasing hardship as shortages of electricity, water, cooking gas and fuel continue to disrupt daily life. As the crisis in the North West enters its tenth year, many citizens say access to basic services has become one of their greatest challenges.
Power supply in the regional capital has become increasingly unreliable, with prolonged outages and frequent load shedding affecting homes, businesses and public institutions. Despite growing public frustration, the electricity distribution company, SOCADEL, has yet to publicly explain the persistent power rationing or indicate when normal supply will be restored.
The unstable electricity supply has forced many businesses to rely on expensive fuel-powered generators, increasing operating costs at a time when the local economy is already under pressure. Small business owners say the frequent blackouts are reducing productivity and causing losses, especially for businesses that depend on refrigeration and electronic equipment.
The water situation is equally worrying. For more than two weeks, many neighbourhoods around Bamenda's Central Business District have reportedly been without a regular supply of potable water. Residents say they now depend on streams, boreholes and private water vendors to meet their daily needs.
Although complaints have continued to mount, CAMWATER has not publicly explained the prolonged disruption or informed consumers when normal water supply will resume.
The shortage has also raised public health concerns, especially as many families struggle to obtain clean drinking water. Health experts have often warned that limited access to safe water increases the risk of water-borne diseases.
Adding to these difficulties is the rising cost of cooking gas. A 12.5-kilogram cylinder, which normally sells at the official price of 6500 Francs, is now reportedly being sold for as much as 15,000 FCFA in parts of Bamenda. This comes despite the presence of a gas filling station at Bangshie in Bamenda I.
Consumers accuse some retailers of exploiting the limited supply to make excessive profits, forcing many households to either pay inflated prices or return to using firewood and charcoal for cooking.
Fuel has also become scarce. Although some filling stations have received limited supplies, long queues remain common and many motor cycle riders say they are unable to buy fuel at official stations. As a result, black-market vendors have taken advantage of the situation, selling petrol for as much as 1,000 FCFA per litre.
Commercial drivers say the shortage has increased transport costs and made movement within and outside Bamenda more difficult.
The combined shortages of electricity, water, cooking gas and fuel have deepened the economic and humanitarian challenges facing people Bamenda, many of whom have endured years of hardship since the outbreak of the socio-political crisis in 2016.
Citizens are now calling on the government, utility companies and other relevant stakeholders to urgently address the situation before it worsens. They say reliable access to electricity, clean water, cooking gas and fuel is essential for restoring normal life, supporting businesses and improving living conditions in the regional capital.
As Bamenda continues to grapple with these challenges, many residents hope that swift action will be taken to restore essential services and ease the burden on a population that has already borne the weight of nearly a decade of crisis.
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