(Business in Cameroon) – Partial landslides, widening cracks, and blocked sections now threaten the Bafoussam–Dschang–Melong highway in western Cameroon, which has been under reconstruction since March 2025 following a deadly landslide in November 2024. Seven months into the project, the site again shows signs of collapse, alarming residents and travelers who depend on this key regional corridor.
After last year’s disaster, the Ministry of Public Works (Mintp) launched reconstruction work and built a diversion route to keep traffic flowing. However, two months after opening, the bypass collapsed, prompting Minister Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi to order emergency repairs to restore circulation.
Five months later, new subsidence has appeared on the site. Authorities attribute the damage to heavy rainfall that created a sinkhole along the temporary road, narrowing it by about 20 meters and threatening its stability.
According to the minister, the situation worsened due to unstable, waterlogged soil and violations of the ban on heavy trucks using the provisional route.
Immediate corrective works underway
In response, the ministry has dispatched a technical team to support Cfhec, the company in charge of the project. The team is implementing urgent corrective measures, including repairing drainage systems, rebuilding the temporary road with rock-based drainage materials, and strengthening road safety along the affected section.
These interventions aim to restore traffic flow and ensure user safety as quickly as possible. Despite difficult weather conditions, reconstruction continues on the cliff site. The minister warned that the ground remains fragile and urged drivers to strictly follow traffic regulations.
In a statement issued on October 29, 2025, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi called on motorists to limit vehicle loads to 3.5 tons and to show civic responsibility in protecting the temporary infrastructure. “These measures are essential to safeguard lives and ensure timely completion of the works,” he said.
