Cameroon:Buea Rehabilitation & Extension Water Project Begins

But Complete Realization to take two years!

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Adhoc Committee at a water source doing assessment

The acute water crisis (shortage) which  residents of Buea have been facing for years now may be soon be resolved following the award of a contract  worth hundreds of millions of FCFA for the  rehabilitation and extension of  Buea water supply by CAMWATER to  a company,ASPAC CEMAC.

ASPAC CEMAC  has been given  a duration of two years to completely  realize the water project, which has already  started with the identification of water sources in Buea  to be  developed and improved upon .

 In Buea, water now is rationed by CDE; quarters in Buea go for days without portable water in order to permit others that have suffered same to have water, whose flow is ridicously slow and intermittent. 

The current water supply capacity of Buea was intended to serve a population of some fifty thousands people, but the population of Buea now stands at about two hundred thousands, and appears to be rapidly increasing every day.

The Recorder learned that the current water supply capacity of Buea is only 3000 cubic meters per day and that the on-going project is intended to step up the supply to three or four times per day.

Seemingly, to show the seriousness of Government about the project realisation, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Bona Ebengue Francois, on February 1, 2012 signed an order creating an ad hoc commission for verification and evaluation of property to be affected by works for the rehabilitation and extension of the Buea water project.

Then, the Ad hoc commission, which is chaired by the SDO himself,  on the same day of its creation after meeting at Buea DO’s office, immediately swung  into action  by visiting the water sources to be improved.

 The ad hoc commission, whose members include the Mayor of Buea, concerned government officials, the representatives of CAMWATER and CDE visited two identified water sources in Wolikawo and Boduma villages.

The ad hoc commission is charged with: selecting and demarcating the lands concerned at the expense of CAMWATER; establishing the rights and making an evaluation of the property on the land; identifying their occupants and owners and putting up signboards indicating the area of the operation at the expense.

The SDO said those affected by the project realization will be compensated by CAMWATER.He said the project will be executed in three stages, adding that for the start emphasis will be laid on improvement on existing water catchments.

In reaction to the kick-off of the Buea water project, CPDM politician and Chairman of Finance Committee of Buea Council, Ikome Williams, who accompanied the ad hoc commission in field to identify the water sources for development, said he was very happy that, the Buea water crisis would soon be a thing of the past.