The operation that took place on Friday aims at removing stalls built on a gutter.

Yaounde’s City Council officials have demolished over 26 market stalls built illegally on a gutter along the main entrance into the Mvog-Betsi Market. Early on Friday September 14, a front-head loader belonging to the City Council could be seen at work, bringing down the stalls mostly selling used clothing as their owners watched helplessly.

According to the head of the demolition team, François Etotogo, the exercise was on instruction from the Government Delegate to the Yaounde City Council, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna. Tankeu Flobert, one of the affected traders, said they were served with warning cross signs painted on their stalls on Monday September 10 and given a 24-hour notice to remove the stalls. Others complained they were forced to abandon their stalls in the heart of the market for roadside, makeshift stalls to gain more visibility with customers.

According to the Market Master, Tabi Roger, the issue centres on discipline. “Most of these traders had been warned repeatedly to leave the area which had become an eyesore,” he told Cameroon Tribune.

The Yaounde Mvog-Betsi Market was opened in September 2007 as a resettlement site for traders who once sold in the defunct Melen Market. The Mvog-Betsi Market has eight shop sectors and five fresh food sectors. Out of 500 shops available at FCFA 5,000 a month, only 100 are effectively occupied. Some traders say the shops in the heart of the market are not visited by customers. They suggest the construction of a road linking the market to the neighbourhood hosting the Zoo and industrial poultry farm, “Ferme Avicole.” “Most residents of these areas prefer going to other markets for lack of easy access to this market,” explained Tankeu Flobert. For Nguemo Celestin, a worker in the Market Master’s office, requests for the construction of the said road had been submitted to the City Council and a response is still being awaited.