The fight against corruption in Cameroon will be institutionalised in the different sector policies in 2011 and government plans to allocate resources in the 2011 State budget for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption. The Coordinator of the Change Habits Oppose Corruption (CHOC) project, Abba Sadou, speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, made the announcement in Yaounde during a workshop to validate the country’s maiden National Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption.
The National Anti-corruption Commission (CONAC) that drew up the strategy between June 16, 2010 to September 16, 2010, has a vision that “by 2015, Cameroon is a country where integrity constitutes an essential value for every citizen, with an economic growth equitably distributed to ensure the social welfare of all in a preserved environment”. The Vice President of CONAC, Dieudonné Massi Gams made known the vision at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Thursday, October 21 as he presided at the opening ceremony of the workshop to validate the draft National Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption, and chart the way for its implementation. Considered as the compass in the fight against corruption in Cameroon, “the strategy brings in a common understanding and greater harmony in the fight against corruption” , the Vice President of CONAC said , adding that, “the roles of all actors involved in this crusade are better defined so as to ensure synergy, avoid duplication of activities, conflicts and waste of resources”.
More than 1500 actors took part in the process of drawing up the National Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption. The actors drawn from the executive, judiciary and legislative arms of government, the civil society, as well as technical and financial partners in different sector workshops examined the manifestations of corruption and made recommendations. The strategy targets 10 sectors that include the public investment budget, public contracts, private sector and business climate, decentralisation, education, finances (Customs, Taxation and Treasury), forest and environment, mines and extractive industries, public health and transport. The strategy has as major component eight pillars of integrity which are the guarantors of the achievements of the fight against corruption and also ensures the sustainability of results obtained. The strategy lays emphasis on a methodical approach to fighting corruption that has precise tools such as prevention, education, creation of conducive working conditions, giving out incentives to the upright and meting out sanctions to the corrupt.
Some heads of institutions for the fight against corruption in Central African countries present in Yaounde for a training session, also participated at the opening of the workshop.
