Nkwen population accuses water controllers of extortion, bribery

By Nukapuh P.

Some inhabitants of Nkwen in the Bamenda III subdivision, North West region have accused those who control water in their neighborhoods for extorting money from them and allegedly taking bribes to supply water to some persons.

In an interview granted to CNA, many of them recounted how the Nkwen water controllers have been moving around taking sums of money from them to supply water.

A student of Saint Louis university, who lives in Mile 3 Nkwen said immediately they collect the money, you will never see them again.

“These people are heartless. They move around even in student hostels collecting 10,000frs per room. Our hostel is 12 rooms, they insisted with our landlord and we have finally paid them the money, but we usually have water just once a week.”

Our interviewee who preferred to be called Kelly added that the water controllers threaten to disconnect the whole compound if one person is not willing to pay. Adding that each room that contains a flushing toilet must pay the money.

Some say after paying the money, they will never see them around again and they don’t mind if you have water or not, because they supply when they like.

“What they do is that they take huge sums of money from the people that are doing building constructions in the quarters and give them constant water, abandoning the people at times even for weeks,” Kelly added.

Another person who lives in Mile 4, and preferred to stay anonymous explained that those controlling the water never lack in their homes and neighborhoods.

“There’s one person in my quarter, at times the whole quarter fetches water from his house. He always has water because he is a member of the Nkwen water controllers. There are times he will even send us away.”

The entire population mostly depends on wells or they buy big containers and wait each time there is water for them to fill.

We also gathered from sources around that these people are aggressive mostly to non-Nkwen indigenes when it comes to the money and water issue.

So many persons living in this subdivision have switched to boreholes which is very expensive, but is noted to be one of the best and most comfortable.

Bamenda III council has been struggling in the past years to supply water in the subdivision, but the Nkwen water project has been dominant since it was the first.