Bakossi National Park, BNP, Kupe Muanenguba Division under the Program for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, South West Region, PSMNR-SWR, in partnership with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, has built taps and rehabilitated the water system of six villages in Bangem Sub Division.
The inspection and handing over of the taps to the communities took place on the 8th of November 2023 in Mbwogmut I, Mbwogmut II and Kodmin in Tombel Sub Division, and Muetan Akud, Nzimbeng and Elum II in Bangem Sub Division.
While addressing the population of the various villages, the Conservator of BNP, Tchapda Pachono Sidoine said the provision of potable water to communities is part of their collaborative management approach to improve livelihoods capabilities of villages around the park. He said their focus is on villages that have boundary with the park, to help them improve on their conservation efforts and to ensure the wellbeing of the communities.
The Conservator lauded the population for their cooperation throughout the project. He said in order to facilitate the sustainability of the project, they have installed a Water Management Committee to pilot the project in all the beneficiary villages.
Tchapda pleaded with the communities to use the taps effectively by always keeping it clean and to handle repairs timely. He promised that the park shall provide more facilities to the communities with the available means.
The Community Development Officer, CDO of the Park, Elvis Kome Ngome said the Park has 34 villages divided into four clusters; North East Cluster, South East Cluster, North West Cluster and South West Cluster for easy administration. He said the six beneficiary villages of the water project are located in the South East Cluster.
Kome added that the programme is placed under the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, South West Region under the Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife, sponsored by the German Development Bank, KFW.
He told the population to conserve their forest jealously and collectively shun poaching activities in the park.
The CDO told The Ultimate that besides rehabilitating the water system of the villages, they built taps, water catchments and storage tanks to ensure that the water is not only pure, but flow continuously with pressure.
He said they have offered vocational training to former poachers of these villages in OIC Buea. He said they have supported other poachers in the communities with piglets and sponsored their piggery for one year.
The representative of the South West Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Ngole Valentine Alonge, Regional Chief of Service for General Affairs said he was happy to see water flowing in all the taps in the villages visited. He said they will be happier to know that the taps are well managed to the benefit of all in the community.
By Olive Ejang
