Bamenda: Students plan to protest as military colonel cuts hostel water supply

By David Atangana

Over 200 students living at the National Polytechnic Hostel at Nkwen, Bamenda, say they planning to protest after their water supply company was reportedly cut by Colonel Amadou, head of the 6th Military Hospital in Bamenda.

The students say they have gone for two weeks now without potable water because the Colonel told them that the hostel’s borehole can only serve a military hospital, which is near the hostel.

“We have been told the Colonel says that the borehole in the hospital is solely for the supply of water in the hospital and not to the school and the hostel. We have our own tank installed around our hostel that stores water from the borehole each time it’s pumped. We now have to trek up to blessing filling station at St Paul’s junction to fetch water,” says Blessing, one of the disgruntled students.

The National Polytechnic Hostel in Bamenda is owned and control by the Yong family, which also owns the National Polytechnic Institute of Bamenda.

But most of those living at the Polytechnic Hostel are students of the government-run Veterinary School of St Louis Institute Bamenda, MMI learned.

The disgruntled students say their complains about the water problem have not been considered by Yong Jacque, who reportedly controls the property.

“How can a hotel hosting over a hundred students who pay up to 200 thousands annually go without water for two weeks and the Yong’s family who control the property stays mute after collecting money for rents? It’s so frustrating,” said Theophilus, a student who lives at the hostel.

“We want Yong Jacque to come down and make our taps to flow. Let him come and settle the issue. He is the one who rented the building to the military. We need water,” he added.

Campus B of the National Polytechnic Bamenda shares its space with the veterinary school, the military hospital and a hostel lodging over 200 students.

The entire structure is the property of the Yong Family, a wealthy family in Bamenda that owns several business structures.

If it maintains, the students’ protest might stain the family’s reputation which has been build for several years by the late Yong Francis.

Mimi Mefo Info