The tragedy that occurred on 30 August at Mandjou, near Bertoua in the East, left people shocked. Three children from one family died as a result of the explosion subjecting them to raging fire.
Tragedies of this kind occur in different sectors, both in the domestic framework and in public space. The city of Yaounde has suffered similar cases prominent of which is the Nsam disaster from the deadly explosion of the tank full of fuel. With the fire from heaps of ammunition in military installations - we have in mind, the carnage caused by the explosion at the heart of Brazzaville, in neighbouring Congo and others.
As a result of these occurrences which always result in the loss of precious human lives, questions abound here and there, on the causes of their occurrence and the burden of their repair. Keeping the largest possible number of people from potential dangers, there should be a priority concern at all levels of the society. In favour of urbanization, little attention is paid to facilities that could cause carnage in our cities.
Gas stations, factories and other industrial facilities, petroleum deposits, shops for sale of gas canisters, careers, ranges or lands of military exercises, as many institutions sited in cities, particularly near human settlements must meet certain security rules for the preservation of life and the protection of the environment.
This timely decree signed August 20 by the Prime Minister; head of Government, Philemon Yang is to ward off the threat posed by the classified hazardous, unhealthy, or inconvenient establishments.
It is indeed salutary that, among other provisions, this text be enforced to push forward national inspections of such facilities Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister in charge of classified hazardous, unhealthy, or inconvenient establishments and the Minister of the environment.
This structure has the responsibility to propose measures to strengthen the action of the administration for safe installations, preservation of lives and the environment; to initiate and follow through investigations on accidents in hazardous, unhealthy, or inconvenient, classified institutions for the purpose of determining causes, assess damage and establish responsibilities.
Much is expected no doubt from the actions of the national Committee created. But the duty to exclude our people from the dangers of installations at risk challenges all stakeholders in power tragedies. On the side of the people themselves, the propensity looking for the path of ease - circumvention of laws and regulations, or even corruption - must cease to govern the installation of their habitat or their activities.
At the level of Governments, the best prevention is, for sure, to look for a side for better controlled urbanisation, facilities that are at risk must in all cases be kept far from densely populated areas.
