CAMGEW Engages Stakeholders in the Prevention and Management of Bushfires

Preventing and Managing of Bushfires cannot be successful without engaging the community and stakeholders. To succeed in its Bushfire Prevention and Management efforts especially during this Dry Season and afterwards, CAMGEW has engaged the community and stakeholders.

Wirsiy Emmanuel Binyuy, CAMGEW Team Leader who is an Apiculture and Nature Conservation Campaigner explained that for this to take place, Community Leaders identified stakeholders that are now participating in Bushfire Prevention and Management.

Some of these stakeholders that CAMGEW has engaged he said included Youth Groups, Hunters, Grazers, Bee Farmers, Religious Groups, Traditional Leaders amongst others. He emphasized that Traditional Leaders should be made to participate in the implementation of Bushfire Prevention and Management strategies in the Kilum Ijim Forest Area.

“Considering that the engagement of stakeholders work mainly through Community Leaders, we have contacts of Community Focal Points for easy communication. The contacts, especially their phone contacts are always accessible for discussions and for the handling of emergencies and other issues arising from Bushfire Prevention and Management. I call on community leaders to prepare a list of all Community Radios and other Radios whose waves reach their area to promote easy information sharing.”

Wirsiy Emmanuel further said that certain authorities have been identified by CAMGEW and that a Bushfire Prevention and Management Stakeholder Platform had been created. These authorities include:

-The Traditional Administration represented by the Kwifon or the Fon. Considering that Traditional Authority has a great influence over the community, the involvement of Fons is very important. “I appeal to Fons to know that we depend very much on them in our efforts to Prevent and Manage Bushfires.” Wirsiy Emmanuel said.

·      The Stakeholder Platform also includes the Municipal Council represented by the Mayor. “Mayors are as such called upon to include Bushfire Prevention and Management in their Programme of Activities” he said.

·      Also included in the Stakeholders Platform is the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) and

·      The Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED) represented by the Regional and Divisional Delegates.

·      The Administrative Authorities like the Divisional Officer, the Senior Divisional Officer, and the Governor depending on the level of operation is also part of the stakeholders Platform.

·      Elected Community Leaders like Members of Parliament and Senators are stakeholders at the level of the Parliament and the Senate.

 

Actors identified and used by CAMGEW as vehicles for Education include:

·      Forest Honey Cooperatives

·      Forest Management Institutions that manage Community Forests in the Kilum Ijim Forest.

·      Local Organisations that work for the community.

·      Social Groups like Youth Groups, men, women, churches.

·      Schools and Training Centres.

·      Traditional Councils.

·      Water Management Committees.

·      Cultural Groups like Manjongs, Chung, Kikums amongst others.

·      Forest Stakeholder Platforms and Traditional Herbalists amongst others.

Servidzem Ernestine Leikeki did not fail to thank the Green Livelihood Alliance GLA and the Women Engage for a Common Future WECF for their financial donations and which she emphasised was instrumental in the success of CAMGEW's efforts in sensitising on Bushfires in the Kilum Ijim Forest Area.

 

By Francis Ekongngang Nzante

 

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