Cameroon’s Head of State, President Paul Biya has alleviated the plights of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the nation during this festive period by offering humanitarian assistance worth 600 Million FCFA.

The president’s largesse consists of bags of rice, vegetable oil, fish, blankets, facemask, buckets, mattresses and cartoons of soap. These items were distributed to some IDP’s from the Northwest and Southwest regions in Yaounde.

During the unveiling and distribution ceremony organised on Monday December 21 at the Esplanade of the Yaounde City Council, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji applauded the Head of State’s gesture to offer assistance to IDPs during this period characterised by festivities such as Christmas and New Year celebrations.

He further asserted that the provisions affirm the Head of State’s commitment to mitigate and eradicate adversity in the nation especially during this turbulent time.

With just few days to Christmas, many observers are wondering if the largesse will equally be distributed to IDPs resident in the Northwest and Southwest Regions as well as to those that are resident in parts of the country.

It can be recalled that, this is the second time the Head of State is offering relief assistance to IDPs of such magnitude. On Wednesday June 20, 2018, the Head of State instituted an 18-month Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan worth 12.7 billion FCFA aimed at assisting IDP’s from the Northwest and Southwest Regions as well as to facilitate the resumption of economic and agricultural activities in the regions and promote the spirit of togetherness. Although this assistance was executed, some IDPs resident in the suburbs and bushes of the Northwest and Southwest Regions were left out due to inability to fulfil registration formalities and as a result of threats posed to them by separatists’ leaders.

Recently, Cameroon refugees in Nigeria have equally received humanitarian assistance consisting of rice, vegetable oil and buckets from the Head of State.

Despite these efforts of the Head of State, pundits consider it as misplaced priority. They asked for how long will the Head of State continue such magnanimities when he can simply order for a ceasefire and engage in genuine dialogue that will bring back better living conditions, peace and serenity to individuals in the war-torn Regions.
Day in, day out, many have continued to lose their lives as a result of the crisis. It is difficult for a day to pass by without a single soul lost.

Human Right Watch, HRW, reveal that more than 2,000 persons have been killed as a result of the crisis, 500,000 persons displaced internally and 44,000 persons taking refuge in Nigeria.

By Neville Mesumbe