The Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary as part of its corporate social responsibility has donated pipe borne water to Muangwekan and Ebamut villages, Bangem Sub Division, financed by the Program for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources South West Region.
The handing over of the water system to the communities took place on July 26 and 27, 2024 at Muangwekan and Ebamut respectively.
Addressing the population in both villages, the conservator of Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, Yves Nathan Mekembom appreciated both villages for their participation in the realization of the project.
He said the collaboration that started after the signing of the Cluster Conservation Development Agreement (CCDA) in 2020 have not been without challenges in the implementation, as a result of delay from the program management.
Mekembom assured that as the population of Muangwekan and Ebamut continue to work for the interest of conservation and development of their forest and all its biodiversity, they will make sure that the communities around the protected areas have better living standard.
The representative of the South West Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Ngole Valentine, Regional Chief of General Affairs, told the beneficiary communities to respect the rules and regulations placed by the sanctuary like avoiding the cutting down of trees, hunting of animals and setting fire in the forest.
“We have brought the water project. We promise to bring more development projects as long as you keep protecting the biodiversity in the sanctuary”. Ngole disclosed.
The Chief of Muangwekan village, HRM Chief Atabe Emmanuel expressed joy towards the pipe borne water in the village. “I am so happy because we have been drinking water from the muddy areas, streams, and from the rain. Today we have pipe borne water from taps all over the village. We say thank you very much to the Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary”. Chief Atabe disclosed.
He pleaded with the entire village to respect the rules put in place by the sanctuary, promising hard measures to defaulters.
At the end of the ceremony, the sanctuary donated tool boxes to the water management committee of Muangwekan and Ebamut for the sustainability of the project.
In all, Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary built fifteen taps in five quarters at Muangwekan, a water catchment and eight taps in Ebamut. The Sanctuary also installed a water management committee for both villages to manage the project for sustainability.
It should be noted that Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area under the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, South West Region, PSMNR-SW in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife.
By Glovise Forsoh and Ngoh Jude Larissa-Dian (UB Journalism Student on Internship)
