Controversy over Presidential Aid to Cameroon following Floods
Aid Deemed Insufficient in the Face of the Crisis
Cameroonian President Paul Biya’s announced humanitarian emergency aid of 350 million CFA francs for victims of recent floods has sparked heated controversy. With more than 200,000 people affected in the disaster areas, many residents considered the amount to be paltry compared to the scale of the needs.
Authorities said the aid would be distributed to 950 directly affected families, representing approximately 3,700 beneficiaries. This weekend, during the first distributions in the commune of Yagoua, located in the far north of Cameroon, 450 families from the Ouro-Dabang resettlement camp received the aid.
Criticism and Discontent of the Victims
The controversy was heightened when the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, clarified the terms of distribution of this aid. On social networks, many Cameroonians expressed their discontent, estimating that each disaster victim would receive about 1750 FCFA (about 2.7 euros), an amount considered derisory to deal with the consequences of the floods.
Two women affected by the disaster, who wished to remain anonymous, described the harsh reality on the ground. One expressed her distress:
“We are going through a difficult time, we have nothing to eat, and our children are suffering to go to school. Going to the market is almost impossible, and even those who go there find nothing there.”
Another victim added:
“It’s complicated in the tented camps. Parents can’t move, and if you leave your tent, someone else can take your place. Plus, the mosquitoes bite our children, which makes the situation worse.”
Government Justification: Global Aid
Faced with criticism, Paul Atanga Nji tried to explain that the 350 million FCFA represented only part of the efforts made by the State to support the victims. He mentioned that this amount covered immediate emergency aid, but that a total of more than 1.6 billion FCFA had been released for the repair of the dikes and the creation of resettlement sites:
“The 350 million concerns the victims directly affected, but at the same time, the State is investing in the repair of the dikes that have failed, as well as in the resettlement sites.”
Failed Emergency Projects and Resident Anger
In the locality of Pouss, the floods have exposed flaws in the Pulci project, a flood control program funded to the tune of 108 million FCFA. The dikes, built between 2019 and 2020, have collapsed, causing further damage. A young man from the region did not hide his indignation:
“The Pulci project has failed. The dike built is mediocre, it does not even look like a real dike. The state must intervene urgently to rebuild it properly, otherwise the farmers will have no choice but to leave the region.”
Political Repercussions and Threats of Electoral Sanction
The recent floods have taken on a political dimension, with voters in the region, a stronghold of the ruling party, threatening to vote against the party in the upcoming elections. They denounce the lack of responsiveness and the inadequacy of the aid provided. According to Sahel Solidarité, a humanitarian platform, more than 300,000 people have not received any aid to date.
Conclusion
The presidential aid of 350 million CFA francs, although officially intended to relieve flood victims, has been widely criticized for its inadequacy. Residents of the affected areas, facing deplorable living conditions, consider this sum insufficient to meet immediate needs. The government has promised an additional 500 million CFA francs to each affected commune, but anger remains strong, with promises of electoral sanctions on the horizon.
