Vehicles are prohibited from breaking in front of certain buildings in Douala. Similarly, taxis are also forbidden from dropping off passengers near these buildings. The buildings include the Governor’s office, Delegation of National Security, Gendarmerie Legion, the Appeal Court, BEAC head office, among others.
Any vehicle contravening the rule is impounded and the driver fined. His car documents might be seized until he is able to pay the fine. Some taxi drivers told Cameroon Tribune they were already aware and used to the fact that they are not supposed to drop off passengers in front of the prohibited areas. No one can claim ignorance as there are warning signs in front of the offices concerned, they argued.
A source at the Governor’s office said such decisions are taken for the sake of security. “Such offices require high level security,” he explained. A taxi driver acknowledged that the measure is salutary as some people can transport armed robbers to attack such offices. Besides, it is not proper to drop off people anyhow in front security installations like police stations or the BEAC central bank.
As for passengers, their worry is that they have to cover some distance on foot each time they are dropped off far away from their destinations.
