CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Anicet L.Quenum, Benin, May 1998
THEME = ECOLOGY
Benin's economic capital has never been so polluted before.
The city's population have had enough. Ecologists fear an environmental catastrophe
and the government itself seems to be caught off guard
Traffic jams have worsened these last few years with the arrival on the scene of popular taxi-motorbikes (called "zémidjans" in Benin), and of cheap imported vehicles described as "coming from France" by the local people - and there's lots of these.
Since 1996, there's more than 35,000 four-wheeled vehicles roaming the highways and byways in Benin, and 25,000 of these are in Cotonou, the economic capital. Added to these are the taxi- motorbikes which already number over 50,000 throughout the country - with more than half of them in Cotonou. The local people prefer to use the zémidjans for getting around. A major problem concerns their engines which generally-speaking, are in a very ancient and dilapidated condition. Worse still, their drivers use bad quality fuel, sold cheaply on the open market but highly toxic.
Today, the circulation has become so dense, that after Lagos, Cotonou has become the second largest capital of Africa where driving is no longer pleasant. Whether one is on four wheels or two, it's hell driving around Cotonou, because nothing is there to help the motorist.
Because Cotonou's population are always there, they've got used to the situation. Yet, all the city dwellers are now fed up with the air pollution. The toxic smoke that comes from all these engines on two or four wheels, are now causing health problems for Cotonou's worthy citizens, like running noses, hoarse throats, nasal irritation, headaches or chest pains. The smoke has proven to be extremely toxic, and could cause respiratory illnesses and even lung cancer.
Benin's toxicologists (a rare specimen in this country), encouraged by ecologists, have sounded the alert. The ecologists seem to be more aware of the situation than the government and have made the following recommendations to the government: There should be a proper public transport policy; some of the administrative services should be transferred to the interior of the country; some industries should be relocated elsewhere; green belt zones should be restored in urban areas.
Luckily, this alert did not leave the government indifferent, as it has taken on board a number of measures to fight against atmospheric pollution. A Commission will be established to first of all take a fresh look at the time of day when heavily- laden goods vehicles will be allowed to circulate in the towns. And secondly, when it comes to the "M.O.T." (test carried out each year on vehicles by Ministry of Transport officials), the amount and quality of exhaust fumes emitted will form part of the test. In a communique, the Council of Ministers declared that the appropriate authorities will be empowered to carry out roadside spot checks of vehicles' (trucks, cars, motorbikes etc) exhaust fumes - this will become part of Benin's motoring scene.
Yes, Benin's citizens are attached to these taxi-motorbikes because of their practical usefulness. At the same time, they are calling for the State to regulate their drivers' activities which are frequently carried out by people who have little or no respect for the Highway Code. The taxi-motorbikes are blamed for the rising number of road accidents.
On the other hand, many youths who would otherwise be unemployed, are able to earn their living by driving the taxi-motorbikes. It's a delicate issue, whereby the government is caught between trying to find a solution to a real social problem, and its duty to preserve the citizen's health. Balancing up the two issues is no easy matter.
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CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement