Author: Web Desk

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, said his office condemn the kidnap and torturing of 30 women by heavily armed separatist fighters in Kedjom-keku village (Big Babanki), Tubah sub-division of the North West region on May 19 at about 8:30 am.

Simon Emile Mooh said the act is an example of gender-based violence and untold barbarism against armless civilians.

He went further to say that the perpetrators of this act against the elderly women, commonly called the “TAKUMBENGS” will not go unpunished.

In the release, Simon Emile Mooh mentioned that security forces have opened an investigation to track down the armed men and bring them before the law.

He reiterated the call for the population to collaborate with the administrative authorities, defense, and security forces to denounce and fish out these peace enemies for the return of normalcy.

The women were kidnapped following a peaceful protest organized on May 19, for an end to the atrocities of separatist fighters against the population.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Deforestation, the use of chemicals such as pesticides by farmers, and Agro pastoral conflicts are some of the activities identified as major causes of the degrading nature of the Mount Bamboutos landscape linking 8 municipalities in the West, North West, and South West Regions.

This was revealed during a workshop organized on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 by Rainbow Environment Consult at the conference hall of the Babadjou Council. The workshop that went in line with the Community Based Landscape Management project, COBALAM, was aimed at discussing with farmers and grazers at the Mount Bamboutos landscape, and members of the Babadjou Council landscape management committee, to identify degrading factors on the landscape.

Among the major problems identified, were the use of chemicals such as pesticides by farmers, deforestation, and agro-pastoral conflicts.

” Also, water is gradually becoming scarce in the zone. These are realities noted during this workshop by participants. This study will help us get optimum solutions in the nearest future to restore the landscape. ” WADO Darling of Rainbow Environment Consult told us.

After the identification of these major problems, the COBALAM project on the Mount Bamboutos landscape will be implemented by Rainforest Alliance, we learned.

After taking part in the workshop, the 1st Deputy mayor, Mr Nolabo Paul was optimistic that the project will go a long way to restore the landscape.

” My impressions are good because, from presentations made this afternoon and the diagnostic works done by experts, I think the Mount Bamboutos landscape which links many Municipalities, will once again have its Biodiversity restored.” Nolabo Paul, said

Farmers on the landscape, on whom accusing fingers are being pointed, for the use of chemicals and deforestation, say they gradually understand where the project is heading to.

” This workshop as I understood, guides us towards the restoration of the Mount Bamboutos landscape. I think we can attain the goal. I think if we retire this landscape through reforestation, for example, it will be beneficial for both our ecosystem and us. It’s difficult because we carry on agriculture as our main source of living on this landscape but I hope if this project is implemented, things will be alright ” A participant told us.

The project, put in place by the Government of Cameroon, concerns the councils of Mbouda, Nkongdzem, Babadjou, Bafou, and Fongo Tongo councils in the West Region; Alou and Wabane in the South West Region, and Santa in the North West Region.

It targets at least 3,000 direct beneficiaries over five years (2020-2025), with 50 percent being women. About 10 percent of the total landscape population is going to benefit directly from the project.”

The project is aimed at removing Barriers to Biodiversity Conservation, Land Restoration, and Sustainable Forest Management through Community-based Landscape Management, COBALAM.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Following an outcry by residents of Alupe in Teso South Sub County, area MP Mary Emase now wants the Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kidiki to secure the area from encroachers from a neighbouring country, whom she said were mining gold illegally in Kenyan land.

Speaking at Alupe after the visit in the area, Emase accused security officers in the area for turning a blind eye to the matter despite several complaints from residents about the ongoing pollution on the land.

‘When you visit Alupe along the border, you will find huge ditches scattered all over an area measuring more than five hectares of illegal goal miners from Uganda who carry out their activities at night with an aim at securing one of the most valuable minerals in the world,’ said Emase.

The lawmaker now wants police to intensify patrols along the border to protect the residents from gold miners who are always armed, posing a big threat to the lives of locals who can no longer cultivate their land for fear of being attacked.

‘The miners from Uganda are always armed, as they know they have encroached on our land. ‘Even the Chinese company doing underground mining in Uganda has caused cracks in many buildings on the Kenyan side, clear evidence of illegal mining on our side,’ she added.

Last month, Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera launched the initiative of enacting a law through the County Assembly that will control mining, especially of sand and gold, to avoid degrading wetlands that are sources of water for residents and destroying the habitat of aquatic animals.

Odera noted that sand mining has reduced the wetlands’ natural function of water filtering, thereby harming aquatic life.

He said the miners have encroached on more than 40 per cent of the wetlands at Alupe and Odioi areas in the name of gold and sand.

Emase now wants the government to gazette the Alupe area in Teso South and the Bumutiri area as mining areas and streamline the industry to enable locals to benefit from the lucrative business.

Source: Kenya News Agency