Cameroons’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul, expressed government’s will to help in getting new houses for families hit by floods at the Mbankolo neighborhood in Yaounde. He made known the plan of the government on October 13th, 2023, while distributing food and none food items to some 57 affected families who gathered at the CPDM Party House in Nkomkana Yaounde, to receive government aid.
“Today we will take care of people whose houses were destroyed, who voluntarily left the Mbankolo site. They are 34 families and and the head of state has asked us to assist these people and to ask the others on a bad site, a marshy site, a dangerous area that is better to leave instead of dying with the whole family” Mr Atanga Nji told the displaced persons.
The day coincided with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction thus he warned against poor settlement patterns.
“Today is the International Day which has to do with reduction of risk in terms of natural disaster. On a day like this, we have to sensitize the population that when you build a house in a swampy area, your life is in danger and you put the lives of other people including the members of your family members at risk. So the message today is that, people should not build in a risk zone. So the head of state has asked us to come and encourage the families who have willfully left the risk zone of Mbankolo to go and settle in another place. I think that it is important because why should you stay in an area where you risk your lives. You can die at anytime. So we would embark on the sensitization process telling people that if you are on a risk zone, you should leave”
After addressing them with words of caution and comfort, he distributed soap, rice, sardine , buckets, mattresses, blankets and towels to affected persons, telling them that the gifts have been sent by the presidential couple; Paul and Chantal Biya.
Ayissi Eloundou Yannick, Mayor of Yaounde II thanked the Minister for the aid, saying that it would greatly relief survivors.
Severe rainfall on October 8, 2023, caused flooding, submerging homes across neighborhoods in Yaounde. Mbankolo, a neighborhood in Yaounde II was hard hit by the rain. People trying to escape were drowned by water and either somersaulted or sank to dead.Others died when water moved into buildings and the buildings later collapsed on the people. Official information reported of 17 persons injured, 28 deaths and 3 persons missing.
By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum
Howdy
Millions of people are educated, informed and liberated through news.
We rely solely on goodwill donation.
Support Cameroon Infotrend to go wider. Your minimum contribution matters a lot.
We are dire in need of equipment; computers, digital recorders, cameras, service providers and financial assistance for transportation.
Any form of assistance would be a great relief. Please Help us!
For all Transactions, use this contact
+237651041509