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| Engineer Ebot Obale, Regional Delegate for Camwater, South West and Littoral |
The populations of the South West Region have commemorated this year’s edition of World Water Day despite the complexity of having an epileptic supply of portable water in major neighbourhoods of Buea and the South West Region in general.
World Water Day was celebrated in Buea recently under the theme “Water and sustainable development”.
The United Nation Secretary General’s address to the world on this celebration, focused on the essence of water towards hygiene and sanitation, sustainability of livelihoods and preservation of nature. Based on statistics revealed some 2.5billion people live without sanitation.
The town of Buea is no exception to places facing severe water shortage and irregularities in supply, reason why the governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai while presiding over the commemorative ceremony for the World Water Day, talked of government’s efforts towards tackling the challenges of water scarcity in Buea. He further stressed on the inextricable link between water and the sustainable development of towns and cities which is the focus of this year’s theme.
Mr. Okalia Bilai underlined the need for effective water supply that will even assist in food production while urging participants to join the government tackle water shortage.
The Regional Director of CAMWater for the Littoral and South West Regions, Ebot David Obale presented a rather technical situation of the water crisis in Buea. He explained that some of the causes of water shortage include the increasing demand by the inhabitants of various localities, environmental factors like the drying up of water at water sources, human activities such as farming, deforestation, then the financial sustainability of water projects, given that several users refuse paying water bills. He went further to the explain that in the about 7600 users connected to CAMWater, only 6700 users do pay bills.
In view of solving the water snags in Buea and the South West Region, and even the entire Cameroon Republic, the government according to a decree of Dec 31, 2005, to resolve water crisis nationwide, has signed a concession with some American banks to ensure the steady supply of portable water in areas like Mutegene, Kumba, Limbe, Buea and Tiko. The partnership is between Cameroon’s water authority; CAMWater and the American Banks.
The Regional Director of CAMWater made the distinction between CAMWater and Camerounaise des Eaux, saying CAMWater controls the funds and does survey and control while Camerounaise des Eaux executes the contracts and distributes water to the population.
The councils on their part being the authorities of their various municipalities also have a role to play in ensuring water supply, maintenance and sustenance to the population, therefore an indication that the council has a very active than passive role to play in water supply.
Findings from Cameroon’s Ministry of water and energy reveal that most councils have not understood their functions in the sustainable management of water points because of a number of factors; councils do not have skilled technicians to carry out repairs, councils in Cameroon have inadequate capacity for intermediation, there is also the absence of a realistic situation analysis on felt need and many non-functional water points which remain unrepaired for several years.
Besides government’s efforts, some communities and individuals have taken the initiative to establish community water sources which are hygienic and good for consumption, prompting sustainable developments.
The water crisis in Buea at times is usually at its peak in the heart of the dry season; however the director of CAMWater David Ebot says this 2015 there has been a drastic increase in the volume of water in Buea as compared to what used to hold before.
Water shortages being a decade long challenge to the Buea municipality, will only come to an end when each stakeholder performs his or her responsibility appropriately.
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