Mr. Celestine Awah is the Southwest Regional Delegate of Water Resources and Energy. As guest of the CRTV Buea, Saturday morning programme “Press Club” on March 22, Mr. Awah very aptly declared, that water, like air, was an indispensable resource, which mankind requires for his very survival.

The panel of ‘sharp shooting’ reporters had asked him what his office was doing to ensure that this essential, yet, elusive liquid was restored at reasonable cost to denizens of Buea who have not only been choking from thirst but also prone to killer diseases like cholera.

Without batting an eyelid, the Delegate replied that the powers that be were only now coming to terms with the reality that the population of Buea had exploded, grown exponentially, so to speak. He said measures have been taken to help solve the problem and that the population should make do with water shortages/rationing for about five years, when the ghost of thirst would have been exorcised from their midst, for good.

The logical follow-up question which our colleagues of the radio panel didn’t ask Mr. Delegate, going by his very apt likening of water to the air that we breathe was whether the denizens of Buea in particular and almost every town else in Cameroon, where the lack of water is worse than a shooting war, should hold their breath for five years, during which time the powers that be, would make the essential liquid available to them.

However, they didn’t quite need to, because the very next programme on the same airwaves practically brought out the plaintive cry of residents who, on a daily basis, trek for about five kilometres in modern day Buea, to scoop or draw water from brooks or rare running taps.

Reminded of the many water catchments which litter the Buea Municipality, the Delegate concurred and even added that the Mungo and Sananga Rivers could be harnessed for the purpose.

One really needs to be in Buea to see the sea of faces; crushed or contorted by the grief of having to prospect for water as if it were crude oil or diamond.

One needs to be in any average town of this nation to be confronted by the rude reality of having to buy one’s own pipes; individually or collectively pay Shylock connectivity fees to CAMWATER authorities that are not receipted for; one needs to be told that after coughing up millions of francs, the prospective communities or clients are MOST likely to be asked to buy their own pipes, metres and glue; dig their own trenches, lay the pipes and then pay “official” connectivity fees before handing over “transport money” to enable a CAMWATER technician to link one to the water main.

Then almost immediately afterwards, the one is informed about how the water table is low; the pumping machine is bad; a major pipe is too old or bad somewhere and repair material is being expected from Douala and all that belly-aching razzmatazz!

One other revelation that the Delegate of Water Resources made on the CRTV phone-in programme was that over FCFA 3 billion francs was pumped into a water project for Buea, prior to the famed Reunification celebration that took place here one month ago. Three billion francs, and yet, the sad, scandalous water situation of the town only got worse! He also talked of having to replace old pipes and all that.

Talk of a well hackneyed yarn, which the water authorities have been spinning for years, decades without the slightest compunction! And how about the fact that CAMWATER staff nationwide, are practically being paid to be idle? What with denizens digging and burying their own pipes, without recourse to technical briefs or structural details. Some of the pipes even criss-cross squalid sewage disposal contraptions, constituting both a serious health and other town planning hazards.

Naturally, these are (in)advertent social cobwebs about which the Buea Council in particular and other Councils in general are doing nothing about today, but which constitute tomorrow’s dog’s breakfast. CAMWATER is known to be big advertisers in foreign media. In fact, this Moroccan company spends by far more money advertising services that it doesn’t even provide in foreign than it does in the local Cameroonian media. A clear case of the proverbial ‘charity beginning abroad’ or better still, taking coal to Newcastle.

It is about time the authorities looked into this and many other aspects of its terms of reference with some of the partners into whose charge the essential needs of the people like potable water and electricity have been entrusted. For now, we dare say that the way things are going, we are neither planning for our future nor that of our children. We certainly have our own “home-grown” brilliant planners, committed doers and nationalistic minds who can better handle our basic needs like water and electricity, if given the fair chance, wherewithal and encouragement.

For now, callous behaviour on the part of certain providers of basic needs like electricity and water remains the bane of this country’s socio-economic growth. There is exaggerated careless spending on empty ostentation and other trifles. There is a wanton manifestation of poor planning, an alarming measure of corruption, excessive greed and lack of prioritising on the part of what by all means are profiteering charlatans and conmen.

It is trite logic that some of these companies, brought in to run certain basic utility sectors in this country employ their ‘superior’ negotiating skills and top government brass - motivated by greed and dishonesty to manipulate agreement terms to the detriment of unsuspecting, suffering masses.

Until the contrary if proven, the fact remains that the CAMWATER reliability, or if you will, integrity metre is down to zero. We could all do with less corrupt, insensitive workers that are bereft of human feelings, better services and Shylock bills.

First published in The Post print edition no 01515