Arts , Humanities & Social Science

Abstract

In most third world countries the roads are substandard characterized by the absence of service lanes, deteriorating pavements, minimal street lighting and frequent accidents. The roads in Bamenda are aging and in a deplorable stat. Potholes have developed into an endemic problem exacerbated by the absence of drains and culverts. Poorly constructed and delayed maintenance of these roads constitute a nightmare for vehicle owners due to their deplorable surface state, which often leads to congestion, frequent breakdowns and accidents.  The objective of this study was to examine the state of roads in Bamenda, guided by the hypothesis that poor and untimely road maintenance leads to its rapid degradation. The study employed a face to face interview approach with related public and private institutions in 2019 and 2020. Over 186 respondents were selected from neighbourhoods such as Metta Quarter, Ntarinkon, Atuazire, Ntamulung, Ntabang and Nkwen which falls within the Central Business Area using the stratified sampling, simple random and   systematic sampling techniques. Findings reveal that the absence of a sound sustainable measure to monitor the roads and ensure effective maintenance gives rise to an agonising population that has to deploy additional costs and time lost in attaining its socio-economic objectives.