The Minister of Housing and Urban Development has urged inhabitants of Yaounde 4 and 5 living in risk zones to relocate.
The Minister made this call during a visit to some risk zones in Yaounde including Château Mimboman behind Don Bosco in the Yaounde 4 municipality, the old quarry at Ngoa Ekelle in Yaounde 3 and in Yaounde 6, Mendong, around the ravine behind the Gendarmerie.
The team made up of Minister Celestine Keutcha Courtes, other officials of the Ministry, some members from the National Order of Urban Planners of Cameroon (ONUC) and some from the Decentralized Territorial Communities (CTD) had earlier on, identified 42 risk areas in the Yaounde which needed intervention.
Why the Visit to Risk Zones?
The visit to these risk zones stems from the fact that the Minister does not want a repeat of the tragedies of Ngouache, Damas, and Mbankolo.
It is worth mentioning that the National Observatory on Climate Change (ONACC) has cautioned severally on the risks of flooding and landslides due to expected abundant precipitation.
During this visit, the Minister and her team assessed the level of works on the risk zones and called on the local authorities to cause the population to relocate, while explaining to them the dangers of residing in such places.
Earmarked Projects at Sites
In Mimboman, there will be maintenance work on the 600 metre-long track as well as the construction of concrete gutters.
As for Ngoa Ekelle, the area will be delimited with a security wall and possibly include developing the lower part of the site around the lake, creating fun facilities with a small children’s playground.
Over in Mendong, the project will consist of the evacuation of household waste and earthworks, as well as constructing a retaining wall, draining water in gutters, constructing an outlet and protecting the surrounding area with a green belt and a security fence.
It is the hope of many that the people inhabiting risk zones heed to the Minister’s clarion call and evacuate the areas.
Eleanor Ayuketah Ngochi
