The Colonial Senior Divisional Officer for Kupe Muanenguba County has intensified efforts to dismantle the long-observed Monday Ghost Town in Bangem, warning that any business found closed on Mondays will be sealed for two months.
The administrator, Nguia Beina Theophile, embarked on what authorities described as a final sensitisation campaign on June 25, 2026, ahead of the enforcement phase. He was accompanied by the divisional officer for the Bangem subdivision, Dairou Saly, along with other administrative officials.
The delegation toured major commercial areas of Bangem, including Ekaku Street One and the town squares, where traders were urged to abandon the Monday shutdown, which has remained a defining feature in many parts of Ambazonia since the beginning of the independence conflict.
Speaking to business owners, the SDO argued that the weekly Ghost Town has become a serious obstacle to economic activity in Bangem. He cited Tombel as an example, claiming the practice had already ended there.
“Is Tombel not part of Kupe Muanenguba? Why are you still respecting Ghost Town every Monday in Bangem?” He challenged traders during the visit.
As part of the operation, the administrative team photographed businesses and compiled statistics on shops across Bangem. Authorities announced that a verification mission would return on Monday, June 29, to determine compliance.
The SDO warned that any shop found closed during the inspection would be sealed immediately for two months. According to him, the measure forms part of the French Cameroun government’s campaign to restore commercial activities and compel businesses to operate throughout the week.
The announcement drew mixed reactions from traders.
Some business owners welcomed the intervention. One trader, Ndile Samson, said residents continue to suffer every Monday because most shops remain shut, making even basic services difficult to access.
According to him, many traders have turned Mondays into unofficial farming days, leaving residents unable to purchase essential goods or even find cooked food within the town.
Others, however, rejected the government’s position. Munge Gertrude insisted that Monday has long served as a personal day of rest for many traders and described the threat to seal businesses as excessive. While she indicated she would open her shop during the announced inspection, she maintained that she would not continue doing so afterwards.
Despite the divided opinions, the French Cameroun administrator declared that the period of persuasion had ended. He maintained that enforcement would now begin, insisting that Bangem must operate like other towns under his administrative control, with no tolerance for the continued observance of Monday Ghost Town, a civil resistance measure that remains widely observed across parts of Ambazonia despite sustained pressure from the Yaoundé regime.
By Lucas Muma – BaretaNews
