By Lum Edith Achamukong
23rd May, 2011
The populations of Lower Muea, Lysoka and Owe in the South West Region now have pipe borne water. These communities had their water sources rehabilitated and handed over to them by the funding body the Rumpi Area Participatory Development Project with aid from the African Development Bank (ADB)
The three water projects that were completed at the cost of 340.000 UD dollars fall within the framework of Rumpi’s vision to reduce poverty and increase levels of income sustainably in grassroots areas.
Many communities have within the past six years benefited from Rumpi’s largess through projects like the construction of markets, community halls, health centers, farm-to-market roads, water schemes as well as community education and action centers spread out in the entire region.
In December 2010, Rumpi’s steering committee budgeted 12 Million US dollars for projects for the period January to June 2011, the period marking the final phase of Rumpi’s six-year implementation period in Cameroon.
Inhabitants of Lower Muea, Lysoka and Owe are therefore counting themselves lucky having received one of the most invaluable gifts- the provision of potable water from a development project in its last days.
During the handing over ceremonies organized in each of these localities, the Rumpi Project coordinator Mr. Besong Ogork Ntui urged them to prudently manage and preserve the water sources for their wellbeing and that of future generations.
Mr. Ogork advised the people to accept the gift as a life saving measure coming at a time when a cholera outbreak is threatening many inhabitants of the South West Region. About 33 deaths have been recorded out of the one thousand eight hundred cases reported within a period of two months (April and May 2011)
The Traditional Rulers of the three localities extended appreciation to the Rumpi Area Participatory Development Project and the African Development Bank (ADB) for their financial support towards the realization of the water projects. They promised the total collaboration of their subjects towards the protection of the water sources.
In Owe, the Mayor of the Muyuka council Chief Mokoto Njie on behalf of the municipality thanked the Cameroonian Government through Rumpi for rehabilitating the structures providing pipe borne water to thousands of inhabitants previously exposed to water borne diseases. He was very optimistic that the health and livelihood of the people will receive a boost.
Before handing over each of the projects, the control team in charge of the projects spelled out the resources each of the projects will require for sustainability. The population was equally counseled to refrain from activities like bathing, laundering and farming around water sources.
It was declared to the population and other stakeholders that the Lower Muea water project was rehabilitated at the cost of 68 million FCFA and that of Owe at 67 million FCFA. The last of the three community projects is hosted by another locality Lysoka and it is said to have been realized at the cost of 45 million FCFA.
