Bafia: 4 children drown in wells within a week

Four children are reported to have died after falling into an exposed uncovered well at the Polifaland neighborhood in Bafia , in the Mbam and Inoubou division of the center region this past week.

Due to lack of running water from taps, the people of Bafia make use of traditional wells and most of them are often exposed.

Several kids in the absence of their parents rush to these water wells to fetch water.

According to one of the victims’ father, he did not know his child would go that far away from the house just to get water:

“We have a problem of water scarcity we need water in Bafia. I was at home only to be called that my son has been discovered in a well.”

The inhabitants say they are begging on the authorities to provide them with potable water especially for the sake of their kids who have been falling into these wells.

Most taps in Bafia have gone dry and the locals cover long distances just to fetch water.

The Commissioner for public Security, Ondoa Jean Leopold confirmed there is severe water scarcity in the town but insists that wells must be properly covered:

“It is caused by abandoned wells, this is the fourth case of a child drowning in a well. I am using this opportunity to tell the people to protect their wells. It can even happen to an adult. Children can’t play normally in the neighborhoods and ladders also should not be used to cover these wells.”

The population’s cry is for the government to provide them with water especially at a time when the cholera epidemic is causing havoc in the country.