CI-NEWS

IDPs tell NW governor children’s education more valuable than aid.

2019-09-10

No: 446

IDPs tell NW governor children’s education more valuable than aid.

By Etoh Anzah George in Bamenda.

Desperation, misery, malaise, pain, trauma, desertion have all emerged as fallouts of the Anglophone crisis as internally displaced persons who could previously boast of a balanced life can barely survive. In the wake of these difficulties, government launched a relief aid programme to assist victims of the war some of whom sought refuge in and around Bamenda. Through this initiative over time Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) drawn from the 7 divisions that make up the North West region have since been receiving gifts to ensure their upkeep. Though the distribution of the assistance is said to have entered full gear, many complained they never had been beneficiaries. This explains why some of the IDPs drawn principally from the Bui division saw their demands granted to by NW Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique. The gifts, ranging from mattresses, bags of rice, cooking oil, tins of sardines, cubes of savon, blankets and buckets, were distributed thanks to an apt response from the Civil Protection unit of the Ministry of territorial administration.

Talking to The Horizon Newspaper Mrs Nohyong Edith quipped: "I am very happy for the gift and I know it will help me". Though admitting the gesture is timely, she added:"In our former abode we had farms and other agriculture friendly endowments, but due to the displacements we can’t cope at all. I therefore plead with the government to assist us get farms so that we can have something doing".

The puff balls seller who barely makes a living through poor sales in a metropolitan Bamenda admits coping with such a new trade is difficult. The farmer from Baingoh (small village in the Bui division) insisted: "Our children are not going to school ...I am begging the government to help our children go to school by assisting us in this process and even by ending the crisis".

Previously cultivating and trading in maize, beans, soya beans and groundnuts, the mother of 2 admitted in spite of all done we desire "education so as to secure a future for our children and even farms for us around town to cultivate".

Talking to the press governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique who also championed the division of tons of the national flag insisted its significance is geared towards the desire to instil "patriotism, love for the nation, upholding of the national colours before thinking of a government comedown to their rescue". Adolphe Lele expressed satisfaction that the IDPs had braved the lockdown to come out for the event. "I am appealing to others to emulate the examples of those here present and I am beckoning on them to despise any calls from Devils who are cautioning you not to send your children to school and to remain in the bushes".

For his part, Tchuente Gilbert, sub-director at the ministry of territorial administration in charge of civil protection, insisted the gift is in an apt response to the glaring needs and despite this there are plans underway to have all satisfied. "Having seen the territorial administration minister rounding off a tour in the West region, the 202 IDPs had since been pressing hard at our coordination unit and as such we decided through the minister’s instruction to indulge in this assignment".

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IDPs tell NW governor children’s education more valuable than aid.