DRay INFOS

   Land Slide Affected Area In Chomba By Raymond Dingana Shock and consternation have gripped Chomba village in the Bamenda II Council area of the North West Region of Cameroon following a devastating landslide on Friday, September 27, 2024. There are growing fears that many may be trapped beneath the rubble. A video circulating on social media captures a voice crying out in anguish, asking for the whereabouts of his grandmother. The residents of the affected area are perplexed and distressed, as rescuers have yet to arrive following the landslide, which is suspected to have claimed lives. This tragedy comes just days after the National Observatory for Climate Change (NOCC) issued a warning in its latest climate bulletin about increased precipitation, which could lead to floods and landslides. Details are still emerging... drayinfos.com

School Attacked In Bali Kumbat  Learners In Bamenda Return to Classrooms After Lockdown After a prolonged wait, learners have finally returned to the four walls of their classrooms following a two-week lockdown imposed by armed groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. On this first day of the 2024/2025 academic year for many students in Bamenda and it's environs, many were seen heading to school on Tuesday September 24. The transport sector was bustling, with overloaded bikes and taxis visible throughout the area. Transport operators have been urged to adhere to speed limits for safety. Admissions are still ongoing in some schools, but a noticeable absence was the sight of students in their school uniforms, particularly in downtown Bamenda. We await further updates from other parts of the region regarding the back-to-school situation for 2024. Severe Floods Hit Bamenda After Heavy Rains  Nature has continued to challenge the local population, with heavy rains...

Dialogue Session Ongoing  By Dingana Raymond The concept of fair inheritance regardless of gender is gaining steem in Bamenda, particularly within the Ntambang community of the Bamenda II municipality. This progress is largely attributed to a recent initiative organized by Community Spokespersons (CSPs), designed to educate community members about the importance of considering fair inheritance when distributing family assets. This initiative is part of a broader effort led by CSPs trained by Community Action for Gender Development (COMAGEND), a nonprofit organization based in Bamenda. Their work is supported by the Adjust for Me Project, funded by Amplify Change, a non-governmental organization. The timing of this initiative is crucial, as it addresses the pervasive issue of women's unequal treatment in property inheritance in many communities around Cameroon. During a dialogue session in Ntambang, also known as Old Town, the CSPs moderated discussions among community members. Opin...

Scene Of The Explosion, Food Stuff Scattered On The Tar By Raymond Dingana In Bamenda and other parts of the crisis battered North West Region of Cameroon, unpleasant news is a daily occurrence. Whether it’s a shooting, a kidnapping for ransom, or civilians being harassed and extorted by men in uniform, the community is often left in despair. If these horrors are absent for a moment, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is likely to detonate, causing injury and loss of life among innocent civilians. On Thursday, September 19, 2024, at about 10:Am, an explosive device went off at the Cow Street entrance of Nkwen Market in the Bamenda III council area.  One person, 30-year-old Chung Juliet,an internally displaced person IDP from Oku died from her wounds. Six others including an 11 months old baby were injured as indicated by a press release signed by Simone Emile Mooh, Senior Divisional Officer SDO for Mezam who have been admitted at the Regional Hospital in Bamenda. "I was at the M...

Flooded Bridge In Bamenda: Picture Used For Illustration  By Raymond Dingana  It has been more than 24 hours since heavy rains swept away a nine months old baby by name Precious, in Sisia 4, Bamenda III Sub Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Sources close to the family report that heavy rain water carried Precious away after she and her aunt, Sakinatu, fell into a stream near their home. The incident occurred shortly after Precious woke from a nap, crying as any baby would when longing for her mother.  As Sakinatu,and Precious made their way to find her mother, they fell into the stream. Nearby residents rushed to their aid, and thanks to a neighbor named Ngongmu, Sakinatu was rescued. Unfortunately, baby Precious was swept away. Search efforts on Tuesday and Wednesday to locate her have been unsuccessful. Sakinatu is currently receiving treatment at a health facility in Bamenda, while the search for baby Precious continues. The heavy rains that fell on Tuesda...

Achieve Picture By Raymond Dingana The 2024/2025 academic year has begun in the crisis ravaged North West Region of Cameroon, with some divisions struggling significantly in terms of student attendance during the first week of school. Speaking in Bamenda on Monday, September 16, 2024, the North West Regional Delegate for Secondary Education, Mbaijong Ezekiel, emphasized that returning to school has not been easy.  According to Mbaijong, Momo and Ngoketungia Divisions recorded the lowest turnout in the region, emerging first from the bottom of the attendance chart for the 2024 school year. " As at Friday September 13,Momo Division had zero learners in school, while Ngoketungia had only two girls in school,"  stated Mbaijong. In contrast, some divisions showed promising attendance figures like Mezam which recorded over 1,730 learners, Menchum with 462, Bui with 1,742, Boyo registering 1,288 learners, while Donga Mantung recorded what authorities describe as an impressive 7,200 ...

Community Spokesperson Talking To Community Members At Old Town By Raymond Dingana The inhabitants of Mtambang, commonly referred to as Old Town in the Bamenda II Council area of the North West Region of Cameroon, have committed themselves to the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM). They assert that this practice remains prevalent in some communities throughout the region and across Cameroon. Their involvement at this critical time is driven by the negative impact this age-old cultural practice has on women. For over a month, community spokespersons in the Ntambang neighborhood, commonly known as Old Town in the Bamenda II council area, have been conducting a door-to-door sensitization campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).  The campaign addresses critical issues such as Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH), toxic masculinity, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) amongst others.Community spokespersons are dedicated to educating residents on these important topics. ...

Dr. Atangcho encourages winner of the Pa James Bowen Atangcho Intellectual competition By Sah Terence Animbom The village of Akum in the North West Region of Cameroon witnessed a momentous occasion on August 22, 2024, as Dr. Atangcho Celestine, a distinguished son of the soil, fulfilled his promise to the community by awarding scholarships and distributing school supplies on behalf of Akum Cultural Association Tristate, USA (ACAT) to students in need. This event marked the culmination of a series of community-driven initiatives that began in December of the previous year, all aimed at fostering educational excellence and providing much-needed support to the youth of Akum. The highlight of the event was the awarding of scholarships to the winners of the Pa James Bowen Atangcho Intellectual Competition, held in December 2023. The competition, organized in honor of Dr. Atangcho’s late father, saw the participation of close to 100 primary six pupils from various schools in Akum. The two to...

Dr. Atangcho donates laptop to ICT trainee with disabilities in Calabar, Cross River State Nigeria By Sah Terence Animbom  In a gesture of solidarity and commitment to humanitarian causes, Dr. Celestine Atangcho, Board Chair of the Community Refugee Relief Initiative (CRRI), visited Nigeria from August 18 to 19, 2024. The visit marked a significant milestone in CRRI's ongoing efforts to support Cameroonian refugees who have fled the protracted Anglophone crisis in their homeland. The initiative, which began as a birthday act of kindness led by Dr. Atangcho and two others, in 2019, has since evolved into a vital lifeline for thousands of displaced individuals seeking refuge in neighboring Nigeria.  The Community Refugee Relief Initiative was founded in 2019 by Dr. Celestine Atangcho and a concerned group of Cameroonians in the United States, as a response to the dire conditions faced by Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria. Initially, a trio, led by Celestine Atangcho intended to pr...

L-R Mayor Chenwi And Emmanuel Ntoko In Canada   By Raymond Dingana In one of his outings in Canada, Mayor Chenwi Peter Of Bamenda II met with business magnet, Emmanuel Ntoko in Aurora Ontario in Canada. During their intercourse, the two development stakeholders handled topical issues including how to better forter development back home, promote peace, and unity among Cameroonians in Canada, and also to encourage Cameroonian to massively take part in upcoming elections in Cameroon. Mayor Chenwi Tabling The Development Needs Of His Municipality  Speaking to drayinfos all the way from Canada, Mayor Chenwi Peter said Ntoko invited him to encourage others in Cameroon to contact him for collaboration. He said there are many Cameroonians in Canada whom if given the opportunity, they would in less than no time transform their municipalities to Eldorados in Africa. This latest move by Mayor Chenwi Peter is coming weeks after he signed a cooperation agreement with the City Council of Br...