Decentralization and Preservation of The Environment and The Health of The Populations of The Precarious Neighbourhoods of The City of Bafoussam

Volume 6, Issue 12, December – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-216
Decentralization and Preservation of the Environment

and the Health of the Populations of the Precarious
Neighbourhoods of the City of Bafoussam
Emmanuel Kengmoe Tchouongsi,
Department of Geography,
University of Yaoundé 1,
Cameroon
Abstract :- Bafoussam is a city in the West Cameroon more and more perceptible and constitute urban challenges
region located in the highlands. This city is facing an to be taken up by city dwellers. The precarious
unprecedented demographic growth with the neighbourhoods of Cameroonian cities and the city of
consequence of urban sprawl and the development of Bafoussam in particular are subject to the degradation of
precarious neighbourhoods in which the environment their living environment by wastewater, black water,
and the health of the populations are increasingly excreta, household waste and smoke. Water and sanitation
degraded. In the face of this situation, the Regional and related diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid fever
Local Authorities are involved on a daily basis in and intestinal worms are spreading. Moreover, the
improving the living environment of the city dwellers in environmental and health challenges faced by slum dwellers
the study area. This study therefore aims to draw up a have also been exacerbated by the economic crisis of the
typology of the local authorities in the city of Bafoussam 1990s. This resulted in a reduction in the financial resources
and to decipher their intervention strategies in the of the States required for the implementation of urban
precarious neighbourhoods. To this end, the study was projects such as the installation of refuse bins, the
based on preliminary documentary research, field construction of gutters, access roads, the installation of
observations, semi-structured interviews with officials of water supply networks, etc. [2].
the local authorities and surveys by questionnaire of a
sample of 551 households living in precarious Faced with the degradation of the environment and
neighbourhoods divided into three strata: Stratum A: 3 health challenges, the populations of the precarious
neighbourhoods for a total of 93 households surveyed, neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam, in synergy with
stratum B: 7 neighbourhoods for a total of 178 local actors, are engaged in a perpetual struggle through
households surveyed and stratum C: 8 neighbourhoods various actions.
for a total of 280 households surveyed. The use of a
In the context of good governance, the Cameroonian
Global Positioning System (GPS) then made it possible to
geolocate the various projects carried out by the CSOs in state has initiated decentralisation, which strengthens the
the city. The analysis of the various data shows that capacity of local authorities to manage their territory.
there are CTDs in the city of Bafoussam that actively Indeed, since 2004, responsibilities have been transferred to
participate in the preservation of the environment and the councils in several areas, thus enabling them to manage
the health of the populations of precarious local affairs. The major challenge of decentralisation is to
neighbourhoods. These CTDs carry out several activities promote development by involving the population in the
related to the sanitation of the living environment of the management of local affairs. Article 2, paragraph 2 of law
populations, access to drinking water, recycling of plastic no 2004-17 of 22 July 2004 on the orientation of
waste etc. decentralisation, stipulates that: "decentralisation constitutes
the fundamental axis of the promotion of development,
Keywords:- Regional and Local Authorities, City, democracy and good governance at the local level". Its
precarious neighbourhoods, Bafoussam. implementation in the city of Bafoussam has boosted local
development in general and the improvement of the living
I. INTRODUCTION environment of the populations of the precarious
neighbourhoods in particular. This study aims to evaluate
Third World cities, which are facing unprecedented the contribution of decentralisation to the preservation of the
demographic growth, are experiencing a proliferation of environment and the health of the populations of the
precarious neighbourhoods where city dwellers are precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam.
confronted with the degradation of their living environment
by solid and liquid waste of various origins. The latter have II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
enormous difficulties in accessing basic social services such
as water, electricity, sanitation, education, health, etc. A. Physical and human framework of the precarious
Illnesses linked to insalubrity are rampant. The town of Bafoussam is located between longitudes
10°24'0''E and 10°26'30''E and latitudes 5°28'0''N and
Cameroon's metropolises are not left out. Due to a 5°30'0''N. It is bounded to the :
galloping demography, the lack of financial and material
resources of urban municipalities, the urban problems are
IJISRT21DEC040 www.ijisrt.com 75
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 North-West by the departments of Bamboutos and and a rainy season which lasts eight months. The rains are
Menoua; abundant. The average annual rainfall is 1,800 mm/year.
 South-West by the departments of Menoua, Hauts The rains are spread out from the end of March to the
Plateaux and Koung-khi; beginning of October and the heavy rains are recorded in
 North-East through the departments of Bamboutos and July, August and September, which are also the coolest
Noun; months of the year. The averageannualtemperatureis 21°C
 South-East through the departments of Koung-khi and [5].
Noun (Figure 1).
The town of Bafoussam is made up of a number of
The town is located at an altitude of about 1450 m [3] precarious neighbourhoods such as Tougang village I,
and is characterised by three relief units: interfluves, slopes Tougang village II, Tougang village III, Tougang-ville A,
and valleys. The lowest altitude (1,300 m) is located in the Tougang-ville B, Famla II, Famla III and Bamendzi I, etc.
north-eastern part of the city and the highest (1,520 m) in the Some of these neighbourhoods have been created by the
south. Depending on the steepness of the slope, the city is government and the private sector. Some of these districts
divided into: steep slopes (between 15 and 25%), medium were created in the 1980s [8]. These are Tchitchap I and II,
slopes (between 10 and 15%) and gentle slopes (between 0 Banengo village I, Banengo village II, Kouogouo-ville B 1,
and 10%). Tyo-ville, etc. (Figure 1). The strong demographic growth
that Bafoussam has experienced in recent decades has given
The city in general and the precarious districts in rise to new precarious neighbourhoods such as Kamkop (1,
particular are built on a hilly site interspersed with talweg. 2, 3, 7), Ngouache, Kouptchou, etc [6].
The relief of the precarious neighbourhoods is quite marked,
and presents a succession of plateaus separated by low-lying At the time of the 1976 census, Bafoussam's informal
areas drained for the most part by intermittent watercourses. settlements covered 65.8% of the urban area. In 2008, these
These watercourses are disappearing because of the many neighbourhoods occupied about 75% of the total surface
pressures to which they are subjected (dumping of area of the urban perimeter and concentrated about 80% of
household waste and exploitation for economic purposes). the total population [7].
Most of the watercourses that drain these precarious The population of these neighbourhoods has continued
areas of the city of Bafoussam have their source inside the to grow. This strong growth has its origins in the rural
city. These rivers all have a regular flow, the result of high exodus and the natural demographic increase...). Most of
rainfall. Even at low water, these rivers always keep a trickle this population is concentrated in the precarious
of water. Flooding is important in the wide lowlands where neighbourhoods (approximately 159,784 inhabitants, i.e.
there are swampy areas. The landscape of the town of 66.77% of the urban population). It is made up of a
Bafoussam is essentially made up of a forest-savannah community made up of a minority of non-natives and the
mosaic, which has become very degraded due to urban vast majority of natives [8].
sprawl. The city's soils are mostly ferralitic, developed on
Today, the demographic growth in precarious
basalts and blocks of granite-gneissic bedrock [4].
neighbourhoods amplifies the urban challenges, including
Climatically, Bafoussam belongs to the Cameroonian the degradation of the living environment and the
sub-equatorial climate, characterised by two seasons of insufficiency of basic urban services.
unequal duration, namely a short dry season of four months
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Fig. 1: Location of precarious neighbourhoods in the city of Bafoussam
Source: PCD and PDU of the city of Bafoussam 2013 plus shapefile 2016
B. Methodology  participation in the activities of the local authorities, b-

The method adopted for this study was based on a the impact of the Regional and Local Authorities' actions
documentary search that enabled us to consult the available in the precarious neighbourhoods.
works relating to this work: general works, theses,
dissertations, articles, statistical data banks, specialised In the same vein, interviews and surveys by
dictionaries, etc. Subsequently, a systematic search was questionnaires were conducted with the Regional and Local
conducted on the Internet where information was collected Authorities operating in the city of Bafoussam. These
on the actions of the Regional and Local authorities. Then, include the District Councils of Bafoussam I, II, III and the
field investigations and observations were carried out. Town Hall. The questionnaire intended for the CTDs
Questionnaire surveys were conducted among households in concerned the projects carried out by them and was
the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam. subdivided into several headings (a- excreta sanitation, b-
They were conducted in 18 precarious neighbourhoods with household waste management, c- wastewater disposal and d-
different urban fabrics divided into three strata and housing access to water and hygiene f- difficulties encountered). The
32,790 households. Stratum A: 3 neighbourhoods for a total aim was to gain a better understanding of their rationale and
of 93 households surveyed, stratum B: 7 neighbourhoods for action strategies in the management of the environment and
a total of 178 households surveyed and stratum C: 8 the health of the populations of the precarious
neighbourhoods for a total of 280 households surveyed. neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam.
Stratum A includes the precarious neighbourhoods located
in the centre of the city of Bafoussam. Stratum B groups The field observation phase allowed us to get a good
together the precarious pericentralneighbourhoods, which feel for the environmental and health problems in the study
were created after saturation of the town centre and lack of area.
space in the old precarious neighbourhoods. Stratum C
groups together the peripheral precarious neighbourhoods. III. RESULTS
The questionnaire, which was divided into three sections for
A. The Regional and Local Authorities and their actions
households, dealt with:
relating to the preservation of the environment and the
health of the populations of the precarious districts of
the city of Bafoussam
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a) Regional and Local Authorities To this end, council authorities levy taxes in their territories
The Regional and Local Authorities in the City of to finance their annual action plans. They must manage local
Bafoussam represented by the District Councils of resources rationally for the benefit of their constituents.
Bafoussam I, II, III and the City Hall represent the main Cameroon's councils, including those of Bafoussam, also
body for the operationalisation of decentralisation. They are benefit from FEICOM funding, PNDP support,
responsible for promoting economic, social, health, PADDL/GIZ, etc. Thanks to these revenues and funding, the
educational, cultural and sports development in their councils in the study area contribute to the preservation of
respective territorial constituencies, according to a the living environment of the population [10].
distribution of competences fixed by law and in strict
compliance with republican legality. The CTDs work a) Actions of the Bafoussam District Council
together with the population. The achievements of the Bafoussam district councils
in preserving the environment and the health of the
In order to make decentralisation effective, the state is populations of the precarious neighbourhoods include the
gradually transferring powers to them. However, given their construction of ventilated pit latrines, boreholes, road
current configuration, no municipality can, whatever its will development, etc. These projects, financed by the town
and means, take full responsibility for the preservation of the halls, reinforce the initiatives of the populations to improve
environment and the health of the population. Therefore, to their living environment.
ensure their new responsibilities, the CTDs are supported on
a daily basis by institutions supporting decentralisation and  Construction of double ventilated dry pit latrines
other categories of social actors [9]. In contrast to the traditional bottomless latrine, where
the excavation of the hole generally reaches the water table,
B. Actions of Regional and Local Authorities to preserve the ecological latrine consists of two dry pits no more than
the environment and the health of the population 3m deep.
Essentially, the communes have the imperative duty to
ensure the well-being of their populations in several forms.
Council Ecological latrines Neighbourhoods Costs Years

One block of 3-compartment public latrines Banengotown B 6 188 700 2013
Two blocks of 6-compartment school latrines Djemoun 1 and Bamendzi 12 524 00 2012
One block of 3-compartment school latrines Banengotown C 6 188 700 2013
Two blocks of one-compartment school latrines Djeleng V 12 110 00 2013
Bafoussam 1st coumcil One block of one compartment public latrine Djeleng V 6 141 000 2015
Three blocks of 4-compartment school latrines Tougang II 16 700 000 2012
Two blocks of 3-compartment school latrines Tougangtown B 13 108 600 2015
Two blocks of public latrines Tchichap I 12 920 000 2016
One public latrine block Toungangtown A 5 902 800 2014
One block of public latrine Toungang VI 6 902 800 2014
Bafoussam 2nd coumcil One school latrine block with one compartment Tyo city 6 141 000 2015
One 6-compartment school latrine block Tchouong I - 2015
One 3-compartment school latrine block Ngouache II 6 188 700 2012
One 6-compartment school latrine block A Banengotown 6 000 700 2012
Bafoussam 3rd coumcil One compartment public latrine block Kamkop II - 2014
Table 1: Ecological latrines financed by the Communes in the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam
Source: Bafoussam district councils, plus field survey, 2016
Ecological latrines have definite advantages for the city In the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of
dwellers who adopt them. It does not pollute the Bafoussam, several sanitation access projects have been
groundwater, does not emit odours, and does not attract carried out under the own funds of the town halls of
cockroaches, rats or flies. It limits the transfer of pollutants Bafoussam I, II and III and the public investment budgets
(faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci), is easy to empty, (see Table 1). The achievements of access to excreta
and saves the owner from having to spend his or her life sanitation in the study area concern latrine blocks within
digging new pits for defecation. primary schools and public latrines between 2012 and 2016.
These facilities are unevenly distributed (see Figure 2).
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Fig. 2: Public and school latrines built by the Councils in precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam
Source: Field investigation, plus GPS surveys 2016
The construction of ventilated pit latrines is not the springs and boreholes) have been financed and built by the
only action undertaken by the council of the city of council of Bafoussam (see Plate 1). These water access
Bafoussam to improve the living conditions of the projects, unevenly distributed in the study area (see Figure
populations of the precarious neighbourhoods. In terms of 3), are in addition to those financed by national financial
excreta management, the hygiene and sanitation services of partners such as the National Participatory Development
the various town halls regularly visit the precarious Programme, FEICOM, PADDL/GIZ, etc. Despite the
neighbourhoods to analyse the sanitation conditions in synergy of action in providing access to drinking water for
which the populations live. the inhabitants in order to reduce the spread of water-borne
diseases in the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of
 Construction of drinking water facilities Bafoussam, the problem of access to water is still very
With a view to facilitating access to drinking water acute.
for the populations of precarious neighbourhoods and
reducing water-borne diseases, several water points (wells,
Plate 1: Water points built by the Bafoussam District Council
Photo 1 and 2: Borehole and spring in Ngouache I
Source: Photos Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2016
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The three councils of Bafoussam have benefited from springs and boreholes equipped with human-powered pumps, most of
which are no longer functional (see Table 2). Faced with the malfunctioning of the boreholes, PADDL/GIZ and PNDP have
trained the agents of the town halls on how to repair the water points.
District Councils Waterworks Neighbourhood Current State Cost Year

DrinkingFountain Bamendzi-ville A Non-functional - 2011
DrikingFountain Bamendzi-king place Not functional - 2011
DrinkingFountain Bamendzi I Non-functional - 2009
DrinkingFountain Banengo-village I Non-functional - 2009
DrinkingFountain Banengo-ville C Non-functional - 2012
DevelopedSpring Banengo ville A Functional 2 814 210 2015
Pumpborehole Famla II Functional 6 354 200 2013
Bafoussam Ist Pumpborehole Bamendzi 1 Functional 5 874 355 2016
DrinkingFountain Tougang II Non-functional - 2009
DrikingFountain Tougang-ville I Not functional - 2009
DrinkingFountain Tyo-village III A Non-functional - 2009
DrinkingFountain Tyo-village IV Non-functional - 2009
Pumpborehole Tyo-ville Functional 6 478 325 2013
Pumpborehole Toungang ville B Functional 6 478 325 2013
Bafoussam IInd Pumpborehole Tyo-village 1 Functional 6 523 200 2014
Pumpborehole Kouptchou Functional 6 523 200 2015
DrinkingFountain Kouogouo-ville A1 Non-functional - 2009
DrinkingFountain Kamkop III Non-functional - 2009
Bafoussam IIIrd Pumpborehole Gouache I Functional 6 624 738 2014
Pumpborehole Tocket Functional 6 624 738 2014
Pumpborehole Kamkop I Functional 6 234 600 2013
Table 2: Water points built with own funds in the councils of the city of Bafoussam in precarious neighbourhoods
Source: Field research, 2016
The creation of water points makes people in slum areas less vulnerable to waterborne diseases.
Fig. 3: Water points constructed by the councils of the city of Bafoussam

Source: Field investigation, plus GPS survey 2016
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 Sanitation and rainwater drainage works
Each arrondissement commune in the city of During the holidays (June, July and August), the
Bafoussam participates in the management of rubbish and actions of the various communes in terms of hygiene and
the drainage of rainwater and wastewater. The communes sanitation are much more noticeable. Young people are
support the sanitation campaigns organised by Hysacam, recruited as trainees for a period of one month, in exchange
and thus participate in raising the awareness of the for a payment of 20,000 FCFA. They are divided into
inhabitants when diseases occur (cholera, typhoid, amoebic several groups and work in the precarious neighbourhoods
dysentery, etc.). The communes inform Hysacam's services of the city of Bafoussam in particular, which are faced with
in the event of the presence of piles of rubbish in certain environmental degradation.
neighbourhood.
Photo 3: Young recruits for the holiday course in action

Source : Photo Marie de Bafoussam II
Young recruits from the Bafoussam II district remove  Cleaning the surroundings of community water
rubbish from a natural drain. points (boreholes and springs, etc.).
The objective of this campaign is the preservation of
District Council Number of young people
the living environment of city dwellers. The activities
recruited
carried out by these young people within the framework of
Bafoussam Ist 1400
environmental protection and the health of the inhabitants
Bafoussam IInd 1000
are among others
Bafoussam IIIrd 800
 the collection and removal of household waste in the Total 3200
neighbourhoods and in the markets and their Table 3: Young people recruited in the communes of
evacuation to the collection points of the Hysacam Bafoussam between 2014 and 2017
trucks. The populations of the precarious
neighbourhoods praise these efforts, because during Source : Bafoussam district councils, 2017
these periods, the piles of rubbish are almost absent; In total, more than 3,000 young people (see Table 55)
 Cleaning of gutters and gullies: the trainees clear the are recruited in all three district councils of Bafoussam in
rubbish, earth and weeds that prevent the proper flow the space of four years to ensure the sanitation of the
of rainwater; districts in our study area. The number of trainees varies
 Weeding the edges of roads; according to the funds available in the town halls.
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Plate 2: Gutter construction work in precarious neighbourhoods
Photo 4 and 5: Gutter construction in Bamendzi-ville A
Source : Photos Commune Bafoussam IIIème, 2017
In order to facilitate the drainage of rainwater, the With regard to projects concerning the preservation of
communes of the city of Bafoussam are building gutters. the environment and the health of the populations of the
precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam, 46.5%
The town councils in the study area are working hard to of the projects concern waste management, 26.2% the
drain rainwater in order to limit soil erosion. They build sanitation of wastewater and rainwater, 24% the
natural gullies and channels (see Plate 2) along the edges of construction of water points and 3.3% the construction of
roads to accelerate or facilitate the evacuation of wastewater latrines.
and rainwater.
3.30%
Construction des
latrines
26.20% Assainissement des
46.50% eaux usées et pluviale
Construction des
points d’eau
Gestion des ordures
24% ménagères
Fig. 4: Projects carried out by the CTDs in the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam
Source : Field surveys, 2016
The proximity actions of the Bafoussam District Tougang II, Tchitchap I, etc. by the CAON/FED. Local
Councils are complemented by those of the town hall. works (the internal opening up of precarious
neighbourhoods, the construction of water kiosks in
b) Actions of the Bafoussam City Council Kamkop III, Tocket, Kouogouoville B2, etc., and public
The Bafoussam City Council is, admittedly, less toilets, carried out within the framework of the Debt
present than the district councils in the field, but it is the Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), are carried out
local project manager for most of the projects initiated by directly by the town council.
development partners and ministries. This is the case for the The presence of the City Council is still perceptible
drinking water supply project in Banengoville C, Famla II, during projects to open up neighbourhoods that require the
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release of rights of way. It has the financial means to pay for of the living environment of the populations and the
damage or affected property. Above all, it has the power of improvement of their living conditions.
coercion to force those who refuse to comply to do so.
With regard to the management of household waste, in
The City Council is also involved in the maintenance 2006, the city council, within the framework of the Public
of the primary and secondary roads that cross the territory of Private Partnership (PPP), entrusted the management of
the arrondissement communes. Some precarious household waste to the company Hysacam. This transfer
neighbourhoods in the city of Bafoussam have already was materialised by a written agreement between the two
benefited from the work of the City Council. For example, parties which marked the transition from direct management
the maintenance of the Tougang II-Djemoun 2 unpaved to delegated management.
road, the Mayor-Evêché crossroads, etc. with the aim of
reducing water erosion. The private operator Hysacam is responsible for the
collection, transport and treatment of waste produced in the
The Bafoussam City Council is involved in the daily city. Since then, the city has undergone some notable
management of solid and liquid waste in most of the city's changes in terms of hygiene and sanitation. The precarious
precarious neighbourhoods. It has assigned this task to the neighbourhoods also benefit from Hysacam's services. To
Hysacam company through a contract. It has trucks to this end, Hysacam collects in two ways: collection by
ensure the emptying of sludge from latrines and septic tanks. 'voluntary delivery' and collection from homes, also known
The excreta are pumped out and transported by 6 m3 tanker as 'door-to-door'. In the first case, the inhabitant himself
trucks to landfills where they are dumped without treatment. carries the waste to a dump or a rubbish bin placed on the
The current coverage rate of emptying in the entire urban public highway. These places are the first point of
area is very low, as these actions are not extended to all concentration of the waste. In the second case, Hysacam
parts of the city, especially the precarious neighbourhoods. trucks drive through the neighbourhoods, honking their
Through these series of actions, the Regional and local horns, so that households come and dump their waste in the
authorities appear to be front-line actors in the preservation skips (see Photo 6).
Photo 6: Garbage collection in Famla II
Source : Photo Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2017
Hysacam garbage collectors use a Paris skip to collect household waste. A 360 litre bin is seen full of waste.
Rubbish bins of various variants (see Table 4) are distributed throughout the urban area of Bafoussam, depending on the
level of waste production by city dwellers. In some precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam, refuse bins are almost
non-existent due to the lack of access roads.
Type of bins Capacity Number
Metalbins 6 m3, 9 m3, 12 m3 et 16 m3 36
Large plastic bins 777 L 90
Medium plastic bins 360 L Motrethan 100
Small plastic bins 120 L Motrethan 100
Total Motrethan 226
Table 4: Typology of refuse bins in the city of Bafoussam
Source:Hysacam Urban Service Office 2017, Tutchamo F., 2012
From the analysis of the above table, it can be seen that The metal bins, which are stored in the markets, crossroads
there are four types of rubbish bins in the city of Bafoussam. and along the roads. There are also a few metal bins in the
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precarious neighbourhoods of the city (Bamendzi I, Large and medium-sized plastic bins predominate in
Kouogouo IV, Famla II, etc.) served by the roads. Some our study area. These fill up quickly, forcing some
deprived neighbourhoods, although isolated, are provided households to dump their waste on the ground. Small bins
with metal and plastic bins (see Photo 7 and 8). are used by refuse collectors to clean roads.
Plate 3: Examples of rubbishbins
Photo 7 and 8: Metal and plastic waste bins in Kouogouo town B2
Source : Photo Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2017
The images above show the metal and plastic refuse Sectors Number
bins in the study area, filled with waste. Bafoussam I district 5
Bafoussam II District 5
The collection of refuse by trucks in the city is divided Bafoussam III District 4
into three sectors corresponding to the three districts that Total 14
make up the territory of the Urban Community. They are
organised into circuits following specific routes. Only
Table 5: Waste collection routes in the city of Bafoussam
certain areas of the precarious neighbourhoods served by the
roads are part of this circuit. There are a total of 14 circuits, Source: Hysacam urban service in Bafoussam, 2017
spread over the three sectors (see Table 5).
The company uses around 15 collection trucks (see
Table 58), several of which are out of order. Tipper trucks
and 'ville de Paris' tippers (see Photo 6) are commonlyused.
Types Description
Tipper-Amplirolls These are vehicles that operate by exchanging containers. These containers are
Tippingtrailers deposited, transported and collected by means of a hydraulically operated lifting arm
system mounted on the truck.
Compaction or clamshell buckets These vehicles are equipped with an automatic collection system adapted to the
container. They are equipped with a hermetically sealed bin and a mechanical
compressing device that packs the waste.
Crane skips These vehicles are equipped with a bucket system that allows them to be loaded. They
are intended for the collection of waste on the ground.
City of Paris skips They allow the removal of piles from the ground on pavements. They have a lid that
allows them to be closed during transport.
Small skips Allows for the collection of waste in areas that are difficult to access by large skips.
Table 6: Type of skips in Bafoussam
Source: Hysacam Bafoussam Urban Service Office 2016, plus field survey 2016
These garbage trucks go around the city and the The actions of Hysacam contribute to the preservation
precarious neighbourhoods in particular on a daily basis to of the environment and the health of the populations of the
empty the loaded bins and clear the illegal deposits that litter precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam in the
the streets following the precise routes in the circuits most isolated areas of our investigation area. The
designed for this purpose. deterioration of the living environment of the populations
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persists because the Regional and Local Authorities are households surveyed, 51% of households opted for water
faced with a series of difficulties. supply, 11% for the construction of boreholes and 36.2% for
the construction of gutters (see Figure 5). However, the
With regard to priority projects to improve the living population must contribute financially to the implementation
conditions of the population, out of a sample of 551 of the projects.
1.80%
Adduction d’eau
36.20% Construction des

Forages
51% Construction des
caniveaux
Construction des
11% latrines
Fig. 5: Priority projects of people in precarious neighbourhoods in the framework of the CTD projects
Source : Field investigations, 2016
The projects developed by the Regional and local the findings of Abega S.C et al [12] who indicate that
authorities support the actions of the populations Regional and Local authorities are at the centre of the
(construction of wells, springs, development of gullies and preservation of the environment and the health of the
cleaning of gutters) to improve living conditions. These populations in precarious neighbourhoods. Because of the
include the construction of boreholes, gutters, ventilated pit economic, health and social difficulties experienced by the
latrines in primary schools and public latrines, water supply populations, the DTCs support the city dwellers through
for Camwater, etc. various projects. Mougoue B and NgnikamE stated [13] that
Regional and Local authorities are a force for the sanitation
IV. DISCUSSION of precarious neighbourhoods in Douala I. Through their
multiple actions, they contribute to the removal of
From this study on decentralisation and the household waste and the cleaning of gutters. Kengmoé T.E
preservation of the environment and the health of the [14], following the same line of thought as Mougoué B and
populations of the precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Ngnikam E, stated in his work that in 2013, Regional and
Bafoussam, one can see that the three district councils and Local authorities were at the centre of household waste
the city council of Bafoussam, like everywhere else in the collection and gutter cleaning in the upstream catchment
country, are carrying out various actions to preserve the area of the Abiergué in Yaoundé. Despite the financial
environment and the health of the populations. These CTDs difficulties encountered, they also sometimes participate in
participate on a daily basis in the preservation of the urban development in synergy with the public authorities.
environment and health in the various precarious This also follows from the Cameroon report for HABITAT-
neighbourhoods, in response to the failure of the public III in 2015 [15], which emphasises that several urban
authorities to fulfil their responsibilities to guarantee a development projects (Participatory Slum Upgrading
healthy environment for the population. We found that Programme, Urban C2D Programme, Yaoundé City
46.50% of their actions relate to household waste Sanitation Project, Urban Sectors and Water Supply
management, 26.20% to wastewater disposal, 24% to access Development Project) have adopted the participation of the
to drinking water and 3.30% to the construction of latrines. beneficiary populations as an essential element of their
The same observation is made in the work of Mabou P.B. implementation. This participation is exercised through
[11], who notes that in the Nkoldongoneighbourhood of resident committees and other neighbourhood associations.
Yaoundé, faced with the inability of local populations to Over the years, Regional and Local authorities have thus
preserve their living environment, the competent municipal positioned themselves as key players in improving the living
and ministerial services are trying to manage their living environment of urban populations. The 2007 UN-HABITAT
environment through various actions such as the report on Cameroon's national urban profile listed as one of
construction of water points and the sanitation of districts. the project activities 'strengthening the capacity of civil
The Maries contribute materially and financially to the
protection of their living environment. This is in line with
ISSN No:-2456-216
society organisations and setting up a framework for [12.] Abega S.C., et Yepga S., (2006) : « La prise en charge
dialogue between citizens and councils'. de la santé par les associations du quartier Biyem-
Assi », Bulletin de l’APAD, n°21, (2006), pp 1-11.
V. CONCLUSION [13.] Mougoue B., Ngnikam E., Feumba R., (2012) :
« Impacts sanitaires et environnementaux de
This study aims at presenting the contribution of l’assainissement des eaux usées et des excréta dans les
Regional and Local authorities in the preservation of the quartiers précaires de Yaoundé (Cameroun), In Eau et
environment and the health of the populations of the Assainissement, Institut de l’Energie et de
precarious neighbourhoods of the city of Bafoussam. It l’Environnement de la Francophonie (IEEF) », numéro
should be noted that in the precarious neighbourhoods 92-2e trimestre, pp 60-64.
studied, the latter deploy different strategies to set up [14.] Kengmoe T. E., (2013) : « Pratiques de l’hygiène, de
projects, including the collection of household waste, the l’assainissement et impacts environnementaux et
cleaning of gutters, the development of water points, the sanitaires dans le bassin versant amont de l’abiergué
organisation of Human Investment sessions, etc. These CTD (Yaoundé 6ème) », Mémoire de Master en géographie,
actors face financial, technical and material difficulties. Université de Yaoundé I, (2013), 146 p.
[15.] Onu-Habitat (2007) : « Profil urbain national du
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Yaoundé I, 567p.
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[9.] Bucrep, 2015
[10.] Bekack O., (2005) : « La municipalité et
l’aménagement participatif dans la Commune Urbaine
d’Arrondissement de Yaoundé VIe », Mémoire de
Maîtrise en Géographie, FALSH, Université de
Yaoundé I, 103 p..
[11.] Mabou P. B., (2000) : « Dégradation du cadre de vie et
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Decentralization and Preservation of The Environment and The Health of The Populations of The Precarious Neighbourhoods of The City of Bafoussam

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Decentralization and Preservation of The Environment and The Health of The Populations of The Precarious Neighbourhoods of The City of Bafoussam

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Volume 6, Issue 12, December – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

Decentralization and Preservation of the Environment

Fig. 1: Location of precarious neighbourhoods in the city of Bafoussam

B. Methodology  participation in the activities of the local authorities, b-

Council Ecological latrines Neighbourhoods Costs Years

Source: Bafoussam district councils, plus field survey, 2016

Source: Field investigation, plus GPS surveys 2016

Plate 1: Water points built by the Bafoussam District Council

Photo 1 and 2: Borehole and spring in Ngouache I

Source: Photos Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2016

District Councils Waterworks Neighbourhood Current State Cost Year

Source: Field research, 2016

Fig. 3: Water points constructed by the councils of the city of Bafoussam

Photo 3: Young recruits for the holiday course in action

Plate 2: Gutter construction work in precarious neighbourhoods

Photo 4 and 5: Gutter construction in Bamendzi-ville A

Source : Photos Commune Bafoussam IIIème, 2017

Source : Field surveys, 2016

Photo 6: Garbage collection in Famla II

Source : Photo Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2017

Source:Hysacam Urban Service Office 2017, Tutchamo F., 2012

Plate 3: Examples of rubbishbins

Photo 7 and 8: Metal and plastic waste bins in Kouogouo town B2

Source : Photo Kengmoé Emmanuel, 2017

Table 6: Type of skips in Bafoussam

36.20% Construction des

Source : Field investigations, 2016

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