Cameroon’s government, parliament and traditional rulers have created a synergy to jointly mitigate the effects and fights against climate change. The National Council of Traditional Rulers of Cameroon led by its President the Lamido of Garoua, Alim Hayatou yesterday, March 15, at the National Assembly, signed a partnership protocol agreement with the Pan-African Parliamentarians’ Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC), led by its Executive President, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian. The ceremony chaired by the Vice President of the National Assembly, Hon. Baoro Theophile, was in the presence of the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection, Helé Pierre.

The protocol signing agreement was the hallmark of the first-ever African Parliamentary Action Day on Climate Change instituted by the African Parliaments. The Day was intended to create awareness and enable parliamentarians take their responsibilities as representatives of the people as well as renew their engagement in the fight against climate change. “We decided to sign the partnership protocol agreement given the very important position of our traditional rulers as the custodians of our traditions and cultural heritage and values”, Hon. Awudu Mbaya said, adding that, “Their engagement in this fight against climate change ensures a brighter future for the peoples of Cameroon and our environment”. His Majesty Alim Hayatou said traditional rulers will work in synergy with parliamentarians and government to mitigate the effects and fight against climate change so as to improve the living conditions of the people of Cameroon.

Hon. Baoro Theophile, the representative of the House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril during the occasion, stated that the phenomenon of climate change was real in Cameroon. He cited the advancing sahel, desert, earthquakes and the present devastating tsunami in Japan. Hon. Baoro Theophile lauded the initiatives of PAPNCC and the Network of Parliamentarians for the Sustainable Management of Central African Forest Ecosystems (REPARS) and expressed happiness with the partnership protocol agreement with traditional rulers. He called on government and specialised institutions to come up with more initiatives.

Minister Helé Pierre joined other speakers to state the effects of climate change that include the dwindling of the waters of Lake Chad that occupied a surface area of 26,000 km square in the 1960s and is only 1500 km square now. He said the effects of climate change were noticeable in Cameroon in areas of agriculture, livestock, health and water resources.