Main roads now embelished with laterite gravels.
By Ngome Ernest Akwe
On the eve of the 41st celebration of the International Women’s Day 2026 in Tombel
Business magnate Aliko Dangote has stepped into the road narrative of Tombel, not with speeches but with prompt action.
The main streets in this cash and food crops production town have been embellished with gravel, filling up all potholes, facilitating driving by cars or trekking by pedestrians.
Observers say the road grading project by Dangote has given Tombel town a facelift, restored the dignity of the funding company.
It is proof that development is not the myth whispered during campaigns but practical action on the ground, observers say.
The refurbishing of the main streets—especially the long-neglected stretch to the hospital the population says, is a welcome relief.
In the face of the inability of the local council and the government to bail Tombel sub-division from its road network nightmare Development partners are coming to their rescue.
In its role as the development front liner of the Southwest region, SOWEDA made recent efforts to rehabilitate the Kumba-Tombel road, changing perilous transportation narrative in that community.
Thanks to a convention signed between the South West Development Authority and the Ministry of Public Works (MINTP), a full rehabilitation of the Kumba – Tombel stretch of road was carried out in 2024.
A presumably 45 minutes journey from Tombel to Kumba saw commuters taking over 3-4 hours .
The journey was even longer passing through Loum in the Littoral Region and get down to Bikoko junction, then to Buea and back to Kumba.
Presently about 23 km of the 33km has been bulldozed while grading and compacting has been done on 10km.
The first part of works began from the Loum end of the road up to the Mungo bridge.
So far, realization at this phase stands at about 66%. Phase two and three will involve the complete grading, recharging and compaction of the full 33km and the construction of culverts and rain gates.