Victims of a flood that devastated Babessi in the Northwest Region two years ago have got Ngoketunjia SDO, Valerie Kwela, tearing his hair out. The floods caused heavy material loss in the heart of Babessi Town along the Bamenda Ring road, though there was no human loss.

The flood victims have refused to quit the present site marked as dangerous and move to a new site which Government developed for them, saying they wouldn’t settle there without water, electricity and good houses. According to SDO Kwela, who spoke to The Post during a council session in Babessi, the flood victims are dishonest and stubborn.

“With funds from Government and contributions from the rice cooperation, Upper Nun Valley Development Authority, UNVDA, we have opened roads; electricity with other facilities there. What I cannot understand is the argument some of them are now posing that they cannot move up an inch because the graves of their parents are there. This to me is lame argument,” said Kwela.

“What happened to the Tikari planes where they migrated from a hundred of years to settle in Babessi?” quipped the SDO, “so I suggest that as tradition holds they should collect symbolic soils from those graves, go up the slope and burry and construct houses because Government compensated them with over FCFA 80 million.

They are complaining of graves of parents, when the last flood came and covered those graves, what did they do? Nothing. They should be wise enough to relocate now before the next flood because nobody will sympathise with them.” The SDO said he has been discussing with the elite and the traditional rulers of the area to ensure that they convince the flood victims to move to the new site.

Meanwhile, Kwela described the accounts of Babessi Council as transparent and praised the new Mayor, Choh Isah Buba, for achieving much after only 100 days in office; installation of street lights, grading of roads within the Babessi municipality, construction of classrooms in GSS Mbinze, GBHS, GSS Vengo, GSS Komue, GSS Vemgang.

Other achievements include feasibility study on the new council complex and main market to be constructed by FIECOM, the extension of Babungo market and creation of Mambim market, the purchase of a 20-ton truck, construction of Mayor’s residence, employment of 55 primary school teachers, laboratory technicians and nurses in health units around Babessi and 28 youths as temporary workers.

“Together with the councillors we are going to lay emphasis on good governance, transparent management of council finances, good quality of human resources and construction of more markets, roads, extension of water and schools,” said Mayor Choh Buba.

By Chris Mbunwe