Providing Hope to Flood Victims

The departure of the Presidential Couple from Garoua on Wednesday September 19, 2012 after a 24-hour visit to share in the grief of affected inhabitants of the North Region following floods that took away 14 lives, destroyed houses in 118 villages, killed cattle, and left about 3,000 people homeless augured several prospects for the population. Addressing the flood victims both in Garoua and Lagdo, President Paul Biya extended the sympathy of the entire nation and announced a number of measures to ensure that future natural disasters are better managed to minimise the loss of lives and property.

Apart from the presence of President Biya and wife, Chantal, the show of solidarity was equally evident from the several missions that the Head of State had earlier sent to lessen the burden of those affected by the deluge as well as the creation of the National Solidarity Fund to help the disaster victims.

Of course, the population would have thought that assistance sent to them by President Biya was enough but when the Head of State undertook the visit to Garoua, it was clear that he wanted to assess the situation for himself before deciding on concrete actions to remedy the consequences of the floods. Thus, when Mr Biya told the people of Garoua that roads and houses destroyed will be rebuilt and compensation paid to those who lost property, there could be no better sign of hope for the people who were already despairing.

Their satisfaction was obvious through the clapping that they reserved for any promise the Head of State had for them and the excitement with which they welcomed the President and wife to Garoua. From the arrival of the Presidential Couple at the Garoua International Airport throughout the ride of the presidential convoy in downtown Garoua to the banks of the River Benue and the President's visit to flood victims at the Takasco Health District in Garoua III Sub-division, the population sought to cheer and appreciate the President's presence.

While assuring the people that immediate and medium-term solutions were being envisaged to help them get out of the difficult situation, the Head of State not only encouraged the people to remain strong in the face of such natural catastrophe, but told them how proud to find them brave enough in such challenging moments. Also, the assistance to the flood victims, ordered by President Biya has also taken into consideration the socio-cultural realities of the Region that have often resulted in occasional outbreaks of cholera epidemics and the destructive presence of migratory locust that have often constituted a great danger to crops.

Thus, preventing future natural disasters in the North Region will require measures that empower the people to better withstand problems that affect their nomadic and pastoral pattern of life.

Also significant was the President's visit to the Lagdo Dam that was wrongly suspected to be responsible for the floods in Garoua. Although the dam had little direct impact on the flood, some inhabitants of the Lagdo locality also suffered damage from the heavy rains. As such, the Head of State and wife, Chantal, sought to comfort the victims and ascertain that the dam remains safe and can resist future downpours.