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MINISTRY OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION AND DECENTRALIZATION DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL PROTECTION Cameroon Civil Protection Report, 2008/2009 Civil defence through life-saving actions With assistance from: • United Nations Development Programme, UNDP • United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF • Cooperation and Cultural Action Service, French Embassy SCAC • National Hydrocarbons Company, SNH • Local Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM • National Civil Engineering Laboratory, LABOGENIE Copyright © 2009 by DPC/MINATD Cameroon Civil Protection Report, 2008/2009 Theme: Civil defence through life - saving actions Initiative and coordination: Department of Civil Protection Published by: The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, MINATD Supported by: - United Nations Development Programme, UNDP - United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF - Cooperation and Cultural Action Service, French Embassy, SCAC - National Hydrocarbons Corporation, SNH - Local Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM - National Civil Engineering Laboratory, LABOGENIE Consultant: Cabinet White Dove Company, BP 3774 Yaounde Editors: Guy KETCHATCHAM NGAMY ([email protected]) and Franklin Ludovic KAMTCHE Translation team leader: UBANAKO Valentine NJENDE Supervision: Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, MINATD This book is the sixth edition of a yearly publication on civil protection in Cameroon. All events reported cover the period between 1 December 2007 and 30 November 2008. Some of the views herein expressed do not necessarily reflect the position of the Government or its partner institutions, especially contributions from journalists and various researchers. Published in Yaounde, February 009 Department of Civil Protection, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Yaounde, Cameroon Phone/fax: 37 4606 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.onr.cm His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic of Cameroon Chief Ephraim INONI, Prime Minister, Head of Government MARAFA HAMIDOU YAYA, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization Emmanuel EDOU, Minister delegate at MINATD In charge of decentralized local councils FOREWORD Since the 18 January 1996 reform, the government of Cameroon has focused much attention on decentralization. This issue features permanently in political discussion forums, thereby expressing the desire of all and sundry to see public administration in Cameroon chart a new course. Faithful to their commitments, the authorities have embarked on providing appropriate solutions for the general interest. By signing Decree No. 2008/378 on the administrative organization of Cameroon on 12 November 2008, and Decree No. 2008/377 of 12 November 2008 stating the responsibilities of heads of administrative units and that relating to the organization and functioning of their services, the Head of State, H.E Paul Biya sought to speed up the implementation of the decentralization process in the country. These measures by the President of the Republic place civil protection at the centre of the responsibilities of regional and divisional authorities and are peculiar in the sense that they underscore the option taken by public authorities: providing an appropriate response to the multiplicity of accidents and disasters in the country. The visionary nature of the decrees cited above is in line with the President’s intention as stated in Decree No. 2004/320 of 08 December 2004 to organize the Government, in which civil protection had already been identified as the second of three priority areas of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization (MINATD). The year 2008 once more showed the important place civil protection is increasingly occupying in government policy in Cameroon. Pertaining to crisis response, public authorities were greatly mobilised to efficiently handle the influx of Chadian refugees to Kousseri, and cope with the serious floods that hit Yaounde and Garoua. At the level of international cooperation and planning, three aspects of a wide spectrum crowned the efforts of the State in the Civil Protection sector, namely: - The signing between MINATD and UNDP of a convention to finance the National Programme for the Protection and Rehabilitation of Lake Nyos, amounting to about CFA 24 billion; - The implementation of Risk Prevention Schemes in the Mount Cameroon and Lake Monoun regions within the framework of the GRINP project ( Management of Natural Risks and Civil Protection), agreement signed with France; - The decision of the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) to set up a Regional Centre for Civil Protection in Cameroon. • At the level of dissemination, the introduction of courses on civil protection in the university of Yaounde II, coupled with conferences in various higher institutions, took a different turn with capacity building lessons in the management of crises intended for administrative authorities of the three northern regions of the country, in partnership with UNICEF, and the participation of MINATD through the Department of Civil Protection in the International Business Forum (Promote) which took place from 5 to 14 December 2008 in Yaounde. It afforded an ideal opportunity to sensitize citizens to the risks they are exposed to on a daily basis and establish contacts with enterprises, institutions or organizations wishing to support the civil protection sector in its efforts to reduce risks and disasters. As for the rest, following the need to reduce the risks and disasters, the theme of the Cameroon Civil Protection Report, 2008, ‘Civil Protection through Life-Saving Actions’, does not only show Civil Protection as the assisting arm of the State through the several public institutions involved daily in this sector, but is equally a clarion call for each and everyone to actively participate in this venture where the citizen constitutes the pivot in the relief chain outside specialized institutions. MARAFA HAMIDOU YaYa, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization 3 PREFACE Despite several actions aimed at sensitizing the population on preventive measures, many Cameroonian families are still stricken by the death of their relatives due to disasters. A good number of these deaths could have been avoided if techniques to efficiently respond to dangerous situations with a view to reducing the consequences and ensuring the survival of persons through emergency first aid actions were properly applied. The theme of the Cameroon Civil Protection Report 2008, ‘Civil Protection through Life-Saving Actions’ reminds us that first aid remains the primordial link in the rescue chain before the of intervention specialized emergency services. This civil protection report acknowledges that first aid techniques can be applied in several areas. Specifically, they could refer to all first aid and emergency medical assistance techniques administered to the wounded or the sick by someone who is not necessarily a medical doctor when a person’s life is in danger due to an accident, an illness or a breakdown of the system, such as a malaise. First aid techniques also include techniques for the rescue or evacuation of people in danger. A special study has been devoted to this sensitive issue, in a bid to fully understand it in Cameroon. The Cameroon civil protection report for 00 , does not deviate from the option adopted two years ago which consists in carrying out an in-depth study using a methodology which integrates qualitative and quantitative techniques. Here researchers have facilitated the understanding of first aid actions by listing a number of indicators to disseminate this notion among the population. As a modality of this dissemination, they bring to light estimates on the perception and knowledge of such actions. The history of first aid actions in Cameroon is not left out as it indicates that solidarity which is part and parcel of African societies can be an avenue for the optimization of the dissemination of such actions. A section is also devoted to specialists, because, even though the population may often be inclined to taking life-saving actions, they need to master the art. It is perhaps for this reason that there is a contribution by an expert of the Fire Brigade who, through the use of simplified diagrams and useful reminders on the human anatomy, underscores the urgent need to master the basics of first aid action for the rescue of victims faced with death. The lesson is made more explicit through box diagrams which constitute a collection of actions to be carried out in case of specific and more recurrent situations. The 2008 edition of the Cameroon Civil Protection Report is equally in line with the columns already known to readers: - An inventory of the major disasters that occurred in 2008. This annual report situates Cameroon under the constant threat of climatic, technological, sociological and transport-related disasters. - An analysis of government’s civil protection policy. The difference and innovation as compared to previous editions is the bilingual nature of the 2008 edition, which takes into consideration the increasing and urgent need to conform with the sociolinguistic composition of Cameroon, as well as the reality of the international environment marked by the steady rise of the English Language. Dr Jean Pierre NANA, Director of Civil Protection CONTENTS Part one: Inventory of disasters in Cameroon for the year