The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yeguiie Djibril made the declaration on December 6 as he presided at the closing plenary sitting of the November budgetary session of the 2010 legislative year that started on November 8. This was in the presence of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Gregoire Owona.
Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril said the country’s 2011 State budget that stands at FCFA 2,571 billion was adopted within the context of the world economic crisis, stating that there is uneven economic take off that is still fragile. He called on the government to strengthen the means of fiscal recovery and condemned the corrupt and fraudulent practices of tax collectors, vote holders and managers of public funds who divert much of the funds for their private enrichment. The House Speaker insisted that all must be done to ensure that Cameroon stays on the path of economic growth and advised that much attention be paid to domestic food production to in order to limit the importation of food that constitute a big drain to the country’s economy. He expressed the hope that government effectively launches the giant economic projects in 2011 so as to provide jobs to Cameroonians. “We wish that 2011 be a year of wisdom as greater challenges await Cameroon”, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril said and implored all arms of government to work in synergy to enable President Paul Biya achieve his greater ambitions programme for the country.
Bills Adopted
The House Speaker in the closing speech stated that Parliament examined and adopted 11 bills during the November ordinary session. Before the closing ceremony of the session, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam defended two bills one on cyber security and crime and the other regulating electronic communication in Cameroon. The two bills were examined and adopted during the June 2010 ordinary session of the National Assembly but the government made some amendments to ensure their practicability and sent the bills once more to parliament for adoption. The most important bill for the session was the 2011 finance law on the State budget pending promulgation into law by the President of the Republic.
Other important bills included the bill on the organisation of leasing in Cameroon; settlement bill for the 2009 financial year; and bill relating to the co-ownership of buildings. MPs also voted bills authorising the President of the Republic to ratify the African Youth Charter adopted by the 7th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on 2 July 2006 in Banjul, the Gambia; the Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) signed in Bonn on 26 June 2009; the International Coffee Agreement 2007 adopted in London on 28 September 2007. The Members of Parliament also ratified Ordinance N° 2010/1 of 15 September 2010 to amend and supplement certain provisions of law N° 2009/18 of 15 December 2009: Finance law of the Republic of Cameroon for the 2010 financial year.
The lone private member’s bill on the regulation of disputes concerning the designation of traditional rulers, tabled by the Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU) member of parliament, Hon. Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, was earlier rejected by the Constitutional Laws Committee and the entire House endorsed the rejection of the Committee during yesterday’s closing plenary sitting.
