Far North Region: Over 6,000 flood victims benefit from Biya’s relief.

The relief, which consisted of mattresses, blankets, sleeping mats, bathing buckets, bathing soap, mosquito nets, rice, vegetable oil and sardine, was handed over to victims during two separate occasions that took place Saturday September 21 and Sunday September 22.

The member of government, during his first stop at the relocated site in the Ouro-Dabang Camp, Yagoua, Mayo-Danay Division of the Far North on Saturday 21, extended the Head of State’s message of comfort. 

The ceremony to present to the gifts to some 3,700 people who came from 450 families took place at the esplanade of the office of Mayo-Danay Senior Divisional Officer in Yagoua.

Minister Atanga Nji and his entourage, during their second stop, went to the site of Guirvidig, Maga Subdivision, Mayo Danay Division where a total of 2,340 people from 318 families equally benefited from the same material support. The member of government reminded the people of the personal concern President Biya holds for their wellbeing. 

He emphasised that this was not the first time the Region had faced such difficulty, recalling a similar visit he made 12 years ago when the area was affected by floods. 

“The President has sent me here to renew the bond that exists between him and the people of Guirvidig,” Minister Atanga Nji said. 

He equally reassured the population that, once again, they are not forgotten and that the Head of State and family will always have them at heart.

The minister also thanked local administrative, security, and council officials for their swift and professional response to the crisis.

Flood outcome of increasing climate change

The flood, the minister stated, was caused by the increasing effects of climate change and global warming, which have exacerbated weather-related disasters in recent years. 

He reiterated government’s commitment to fighting the challenges as they are working on long-term solutions to prevent future floods from ravaging the region.

After distributing the aid, Minister Atanga Nji and his delegation visited the damaged dyke along the River Logone. 

The dyke, stretching from Guirvidig to Maga, according to reports, had been identified as having 39 major points of failure, with gaps ranging from 1.20 to over 2 metres in depth.

Briefing the minister and his entourage, a local engineer, Abdoul Razak, who has been working on the maintenance of the dyke, noted that short-term measures are currently being implemented. 

He noted that they have resorted to the use of sandbags to fill the gaps and make the road functional, while awaiting a permanent solution.

Abdoul Razak emphasised that there is need for durable repairs to prevent future incidents. 

“Temporary fixes are not enough. We need to use more resilient materials to ensure that this kind of disaster does not happen again,” he warned.

Minister Atanga Nii, on his part, reassured the engineer and the community that a detailed report of the situation would be sent to the Head of State, and the necessary steps would be taken to secure the dyke in the long-term.

“This is not just about repairing what was damaged; it's about preventing the next flood. The President has made it clear that protecting the lives and property of the people in this Region is a priority,” the minister stated.

To ensure bigger recovery efforts, Minister Atanga Nji, took the opportunity to announce that each council or mayor in the affected regions would receive 500 million FCFA to help mitigate the long-term effects of the flood. 

This financial assistance, he stated will be crucial for rebuilding infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods devastated by the disaster.

Beneficiaries laud timely intervention 

One of the flood victims, who received the aid, expressed gratitude for the timely intervention while pleading for a better ways to prevent such disaster. “We are thankful to the government for thinking of us in this moment of great need. These items will help us survive while we figure out how to rebuild our lives,” he said.

The member of government, during the visit in Yagoua, equally paid a courtesy visit to the Lamido of Yagoua, Ahmadou Dairou, and to the Bishop of Yagoua, His Lordship Barthélemy Yaouda Hourgo.

One of the high moments of the ceremony was the supervision of the evacuation of two critically wounded individuals to the Maroua Regional Hospital for further treatment on the order of the minister. 

It should be noted that Mayo-Danay and Logone and Chari are the two Divisions most affected by the floods in the Far North Region, which affected some 11 Subdivisions in general. 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3239 of Tuesday September 24, 2024