PM Philemon Yang on July 26 received Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Nigeria's Minister of Water Resources.
The Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang, on July 26, 2013 received the visiting Minister of Water Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sarah Reng Ochekpe, who is on a special mission to Cameroon on behalf of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Sarah Reng Ochekpe came to discuss the management of the Benue River and Lagdo Dam after the devastating rain and flood that rocked the northern part of Cameroon and Nigeria in September 2012. Both countries are committed to coming up with a Memorandum of Understanding. Sarah Reng hinted that they already have a draft and Cameroonian authorities are looking into it.
After visiting the Lagdo Dam on July 25, 2013 Sarah Reng Ochekpe told the press that it was a beautiful place but regretted that the effects of last year were “quite devastating and we do not like to have a repeat of the same situation this year especially as it affects the population in the two countries.” The meeting with senior officials of Cameroon was therefore to chart the way forward to manage any likely excessive rainfall or flooding.
The delegation also conveyed the felicitation of the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan to President Paul Biya of Cameroon through the Prime Minister, appreciating concerns of the latter in consoling with flood victims of Nigeria. “We treasured the support that the government of Cameroon is giving to the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy for us to be able to strengthen discussions that started and we are soon to find common grounds to be able to address challenges that confront us both,” she said.
She also met with the Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo and revealed that she has proposed a meeting with experts to hold in Abuja, Nigeria in the next three weeks. Prof. Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo assured the visiting delegation that the political will was there and Cameroon was ready to work hand in hand to pre-empt such catastrophes. “We are confident that in the near future, we will sign a MoU to have a legal base. Things are going in the right direction,” he stressed.
