IRON OF TERROR: Streets of Parakou Turn into Death Traps
Rusty iron rods jutting out of gaping gutters, construction sites abandoned to the ravages of time, cracked paving stones disfiguring the roads… In Parakou, danger is now an integral part of the landscape. From the Arafat neighborhood to the outskirts of the large Arzèkè market, the situation is chillingly uniform. Where local authorities see only « ongoing construction sites, » residents live in constant exposure to tragedy.
A single nighttime downpour or a moment of inattention is all it takes for the trap to snap shut. Moussa, a motorcycle taxi driver for ten years, has seen the sidewalks of the city of Kobourou transformed into death traps. « At night, these iron rods are completely invisible, » he says gravely. The falls? He’s lost count. Just recently, one of his colleagues suffered a deep gash to his leg from a metal frame. Beyond motorcyclists, it’s also children, carefree near these open-air construction sites, who risk serious injury with every step.
Did you know? The responsibility for this urban hazard is shared. While public management is stalled, the incivility of local residents is cruelly exacerbating the situation.
On the ground, vandalism reigns supreme. Safety barriers vanish almost as soon as they’re installed. Worse still, some users don’t hesitate to breach the safety perimeters to gain precious minutes. In Banikanni, an exasperated shopkeeper recounts seeing young people deliberately dismantling the protective measures.
Yet, securing public spaces is not impossible. Low-cost actions could radically change the situation: painting exposed iron bars with fluorescent or bright paint; installing heavy, temporary barriers that are impossible to remove easily; creating a citizen reporting system to identify hazardous construction sites.
For veteran driver Moussa, the urgency is summed up in a powerful statement: “Cut or cover these iron bars. A man’s life will always be worth more than a bag of cement.”
Ultimately, these iron protrusions that scar Parakou illustrate the immense gap between a rapidly expanding metropolis and the safety of its inhabitants. As long as lax construction practices are met with incivility on the streets, the asphalt will continue to bleed. Decision-makers must now decide: anticipate tragedy, or continue waiting for one accident too many.
Azoumi KORA (Intern)
À propos de cet auteur
