There is some glimmer of hope that the crisis that has for some months plagued the management of community water in Kumbo, Bui Division of the North West Region, could soon come to an end. Announcing the news in Kumbo recently, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Bui, Nzeki Theophile, called on the people to remain calm, warning that anyone who again embarks on the connection or disconnection of water metres would be arrested.

Nzeki Theophile’s warning came on the heels of a recent incident when supporters of the Fon of Nso, Sehm Mbinglo I, disconnected water metres belonging to the Kumbo Water Authority and took them to Palace. They said they were carrying out the disconnections because those in whose homes the metres were placed had not settled their bills. The supporters of the Fon were acting under the guise of the Nso Community Water, a rival body set up to challenge the Kumbo Water Authority, KWA, presently managed by Kumbo Council. Kumbo Water Authority officials tried to reconnect the metres the same day.

According to Nzeki Theophile, the Kumbo Community Water initiative, which has existed for 43 years, has witnessed four crises and change of management, without a satisfactory solution till date. Earlier on November 5, 2015, Mayor Njong Donatus disclosed that Fon Sehm Mbinglo I took him to court on October 5, 2015 over the management of water in the town. He recalled that the Fon on July 10, 2015, placed a traditional injunction on the KWA office located in the Nso Palace.

Njong Donatus brandished a copy of the traditional ruler’s complaint that was submitted to the State Counsel to the Kumbo High Court. It was entitled, “Complaint against Njong Fonyuy Donatus for forgery and use of forged document and accessory to aggravate misappropriation.” On August 24, 2015, Barrister Wirgham Joseph Akuwiyadze was arraigned before the Kumbo Court of First Instance on a five-count criminal case for defamation, including allegations of financial misappropriation and threats to kill; to which he all pleaded not guilty. He was dragged to court by three KWA officials, Nformi Blasius Mbinkar, Chairman, Justin Njoka Shiyntum, Manager and Wirba Valentine Bayena, a Senior Technician.