Final preparations for a thrilling march past on the occasion of the 39^th edition of Cameroon’s National Day on Friday, May 20, 2011; will take place for the nation’s capital, Yaounde today, May 18. The rehearsals that will include the defence forces and civilians at the 20^th May Avenue in down town, Yaounde, will be a moment to perfect preparations to ensure a thrilling march past in front of President Paul Biya, his special guests and other senior government officials on National Day. Foot soldiers and the motorised unit of the defence forces will practise today.

Defence forces will be practising at the Yaounde ceremonial grounds today for the third consecutive day as preparations heighten. Yesterday, foot soldiers practised march past under the watchful eyes of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o. He was flanked by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean-Baptiste Bokam, Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguele, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration, Emmanuel Ngafeeson Bantar, among other senior government and military officials. The Army Joint Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General, René Claude Meka supervised the rehearsals. He gave instructions and pointed out aspects that need to be perfected. Brigadier General Ebaka Hypolite will command this year’s military march past.

Major innovations in this year’s military march past include the Rapid Intervention Battalion, (BIR) that has its band. The Police band will stage a thrilling display in front of the presidential grandstand demonstrating Cameroon’s transition from the Federal to the Unitary systems of government. President Guards are practising to march past with security dogs. The military march past will be made up of detachments of the military, National Gendarmerie, Police, Penitentiary Administration, Customs Administration and ex-servicemen.

The Customs Administration, a semi-military force, has for sometime now demonstrated great attachment to the ideals of national unity through its involvement in the military march past. In the 2011 National Day feast, its detachment made up of a square of 144 men will be commanded by Major Eric Gervais Ndo, Chief of the Active Group Command Unit of the Centre Region. In consonance with the theme of the 2011 National Day whose focus is stable and democratic institutions, the Customs Administration is giving assistance to other services at the frontier. It has been contributing in protecting the national territory through ensuring its stability and intensifying governance and ethics. In socio-economic development, the Customs Administration makes significant contribution to the State budget. In the 2010 State budget, government tasked the Custom Administration to collect revenue amounting to FCFA 499 billion and it collected FCFA 503.5 billion, registering 100 percent realisation and 6 percent increase in relation to 2009.