Yaounde City Mayor bans hawking in strategic areas.

Street hawkers proposing goods to people in traffic

The City Mayor of Yaounde, Luc Messi Atangana, has banned hawking along some major streets. The information is contained in a release he issued January 10.



According to the release, as of January 20, 2025, street vendors will no longer be permitted to sell goods from wheelbarrows, paper carriers, or portable stalls in several key areas.

The move, the City Mayor said, targets high-traffic zones that have been a hotspot for informal commerce, with street vendors occupying public spaces, including sidewalks and roadsides.

The areas affected by this new ban include popular locations such as; the Mokolo zone, Messa, Elig Effa, Village des Jeunes at Etetak and Carrefour MEEC, Carrefour Nkolbisson. Several bustling markets such as the Marche Central, Marche Etoudi, Marche Ekounou, Marche Nsam around the main road, major intersections like Terminus Mimboman and Mimboman Sapeur are also involved in the ban. 

The City Mayor, in the release, said his decision follows increasing concerns about street congestion, safety hazards, and the disruption caused by the growing presence of informal vendors in public spaces.

The new regulation, the statement added, specifically targets street vendors operating with portable and makeshift setups. He said they often obstruct pedestrian walkways and cause traffic disruptions in the course of their activities. 

Messi Atangana, in the release, equally insisted that the ban is in line with urban development plan aimed at improving the city’s aesthetics, public safety, and traffic flow. 

The municipal authority argued that the informal street vending business has become problematic, particularly in the aforementioned areas, where it is said to exacerbate challenges for both pedestrians and motorists.

The City Mayor equally warned that anyone caught violating the ban will face legal repercussions in line with the laws in force.

The decision has been received with mixed feelings. Some residents and many street vendors have expressed concern about the risk of their source of livelihood being negatively affected.

Some street vendors argue that the government should offer alternative solutions, such as designated spaces or stalls where they can continue their businesses legally instead of out rightly sending them off strategic spaces.

 

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3336 of Sunday January 12, 2025

 

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