Water Problems in Donga Mantung Reach Crisis Level

The Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division in the Northwest Region of Cameroon has raised an alarm on the water crisis in Nkambe. Donga Matung SDO, Nseke Theophile says the water problems in Nkambe has reached crisis level. Nseke Theophile who held an emergency crisis meeting with his collaborated decried that if drastic measures are not taken, the risk of cholera outbreak is high. He observed that the situation is very critical as families move over 10-20 km everyday to get water. He blamed the population for setting watersheds on fire as well as the abusive planting of eucalyptus trees in and around water catchments. It should be noted that more than 85% of all the water catchments in Donga Mantung and Bui are invaded by eucalyptus trees. Experts say a mature eucalyptus tree consumes a minimum of 400 liters of water per day. Besides, if there are still little drops of water in the town the SDO observed, it is thanks to Mangoh Jones, the mayor of Nkambe who took the challenge to  launched a fierceless war by replacing all eucalyptus in water catchments/sheds. Yet, approxiamtely half 15000 nitrogen concerntrated plants were all consumed by bushfire this year. To cut the story short, the administration of Donga Mantung warned against bushfire and that all eucalyptus in and around wtaresheds should be destroyed. Ndu town is also reported in a more critical situation. Some quarters have gone for three months without water. In Donga Mantung and Bui, indicators are rife that more than 75% of the watersheds get dry off during dry season. Some of the streams even dry off completely. It is common that children have been seen digging at the watersheds to find water.



When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa