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| Hon. Awudu Mbaya: Climate Change Campaigner |
Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian,
Questor at the National Assembly cum Executive President of Pan African
Parliamentarians Network on Climate Change-PAPNCC is expected to defend a
private member bill in Cameroon parliament on why wetlands, catchment areas and
watersheds should be given the same protection like humans. The bill submitted
by Hon. Awudu Mbaya got a passed mark in the Chairman’s Conference of the
National Assembly to go into record as the first ever private member bill to
have reached that level. In his capacity as Executive President of PAPNCC, Hon
Awudu says if water as they say is life, there is a great need for water
sources to be protected from harmful human activities. “We are facing serious
water crisis in the country due to the fact that there is no law prohibiting
human activities in and around water sources. Harping on the importance of
water in mitigating the phenomenon of Climate Change, Hon. Awudu said that the
situation could even be more precarious if all these areas are not protected.
Harping on this year’s
International Water Day’s theme Hon. Awudu emphasized that the theme “Water and Sustainable Development”, is
intended to highlight its role in the sustainable development agenda. He also added
that although around 71 percent of the earth surface is covered with it, fresh
water constitutes only 2.53 percent of the total amount. Surprisingly, most of
it exists in the North and South Poles as ice. The real available freshwater
resources in the world comprise only 0.2 percent. As a result, he continued, freshwater
is becoming more and more valuable following the increase of population. From
food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes
to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the
livelihoods of billions. The importance of water in human existence cannot be
overestimated, he concluded.
Why MPs Should Endorse It
Water is life; it has no
colour and knows no political party. It is a universal commodity that everyone relies
on for survival. Coming barely few weeks after the International World Water
Day was commemorated on March 22, 2015, expectations are high at that
Cameroonian MPs will throw their weight behind the Bill. Worthy to note that the
day has been observed since 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly
proclaimed it as a day for sensitisation of the public on the critical issues
of water and how it affects humanity. It is a necessity for health, sanitation,
industries, agriculture and maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Yet, it is being
depleted at a rate never ever seen since the beginning of civilisation.
Everywhere, groundwater table is declining at alarming rate due to over
extraction. This has put people to arsenic threat. In Cameroon, about three million
people lack access to improved water sources.
It has resulted to the
outbreak of periodic water borne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea due to
inadequate water and neglect of water sources. Even studies on worst-case
scenarios have warned that wars between communities will be fought over fresh
water supplies. Therefore there is the need for policies to promote water
conservation and support the protection of Wetlands, catchment areas and
watersheds. Alarmingly, the problem of water shortage is getting worse due to asymmetrical
rainfall accredited to climate change and a global water demand that is
projected to soar by 55 percent within 15 years. It is time Cameroon MPs
reflect this urgency as time is running out. Definitely, there is need to do
whatever is necessary to secure the future and avert a disastrous one.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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