North West: Organisation engages stakeholders, CSOs to combat water crisis.

Dynamique Citoyenne which works on water and road projects in Cameroon organised an advocacy meeting in Bamenda on July 3. Discussions focused on the results of a study on the situation of potable water in some 10 municipalities in the Region.

According to the results of the study, presented by Mbafor Christopher who works with an environmental organisation, it emerged that public sources of water constitute just 7.9%, with majority unfunctional in the communities. 

On the other hand, private sources of water constitute 91.1% in the communities.

The study which was carried out in Bamenda I, II, II, Santa, Bali, Tubah, Bafut, Babessi, Wum and Mbengwi council areas, equally shows that local wells and individual boreholes constitute the highest percentage of water sources in the communities.

It also furthers that there are some public water sources on paper as per the Public Investment Budget, but are not existing on the ground.

Discussions and recommendations were made, demanding that in order to resolve the issue of water scarcity in the region, the population must come together and collaborate with stakeholders.

Also, rehabilitation of non-functional boreholes, the need to build and strengthen the capacity of water sources and training were also listed amongst other requests.

Studies to continue

According to the Focal Point of Dynamique Citoyenne in the North West Region, Gaby Ambo, the organisation will continue to monitor the situation in all seven Divisions of the Region to come out with final and concrete data of the situation in the entire Region.

“We’re not done yet. We’re doing our findings and going ahead. We are going to continue in other communities until we get the actual data...I think this is a moment for the government to understand that they can work together with Dynamique Citoyenne and other CSOs,” Ambo said.

He added that the study is also going on in all other regions of the country, adding that the outcome will be included in a joint report and presented in Parliament.

According to the Regional Delegate for Water and Energy Resources, Azanga John, they will work hand in glove with Dynamique Citoyenne to make sure that the situation is arrested, and also improve on the quality of potable water supply in the communities.

“Sometimes we have issues with our transmission network whereby the power supply to the consumers is interrupted. We regret that aspect. I think the powers that be have taken note and they’re working to ensure that power supply is made regular so that we don’t have this issue of colour water that the public has been complaining about,” the delegate said.

The authorities who attended the advocacy meeting, amongst them the Head of Division for Economics and Socio-cultural Affairs the Governor’s office, Marceliout Djunang, hailed Dynamique Citoyenne for embarking on such a project.

He also saluted members of various CSOs promising to fully engage in the “I take action for water” campaign.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3162 of Monday July 8, 2024