UBa students protest frequent blackouts, block road

Over 200 students from the University of Bamenda, UBa, recently, mounted road barricades across the Bamenda –Bambui Road to protest against a blackout that lasted weeks.

The students said they have been living in darkness for weeks, due to the absence of electricity, despite express complaints they lodged at the Cameroon Electricity Company, ENEO, in Bamenda.

The students complained that earlier, a tree, knocked down by wind, in turn, hit an electric pole disconnecting electricity supply in the entire neighbourhood.The students said they wrote toENEO workers who kept on saying that the problem will be resolved.

Finding it difficult to carry on with studies,“We decided to draw the attention of the powers-that-be, by mounting road blocks since that is the language the authorities understand best.”The students said.

They equally told the MezamAdministration that some of them were, earlier that day,brutalised by BIR who stormed the scene to clear the barricades.

Due to the road blocks, traffic was held up on that stretch of the Bamenda Ring Road for close to six hours. It was not until the SDO for Mezam, Felix NgueleNguele, accompanied by the SDF National Chairman, John FruNdi, descended to the scene and pleaded with the students, that the barricades were dismantled.

Addressing the students, Fru Ndi and the SDO regretted the incident and assured them that ENEO officials will soon restore electricity in the area. Fru Ndi urged ENEO to also install street lights to fight insecurity.

"This is a very crucial period because the students are preparing for exams; so, make sure there is constant supply of electricity to avoid any embarrassment". It was on this note of hope that the students dismantled the road blocks.