A workshop to that effect was chaired by Ni John Fru Ndi on October 2, 2015 in Bamenda.

Opposition Social Democratic Front party, (SDF) Shadow Cabinet Ministers also known as the SDF “Government-in-waiting” has been drilled to enhance their capacity in the functioning of the nation’s leading opposition Party. Party Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi gave the party’s 36 Shadow Cabinet Ministers a chance to master their roles in a workshop on October 2, 2015 with Senior NEC member, Prof. Lucas Tandap as the resource person.

It emerged from the event in Bamenda that it is the responsibility of the Shadow Cabinet to criticise policies and actions of the ruling government and offer alternative programmes. The agenda also featured the role of the opposition to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. Members were told that they need to work twice as hard with fewer resources to get the same results as the government in power. They were told that quite often, some issues neglected by the government become the opposition’s main platform.

It was against this backdrop that, Chairman Fru Ndi urged Shadow Cabinet Ministers to sacrifice, enhance team spirit and keep their departments functional.  The SDF Concept of Shadow Cabinet hangs on the strength of Section 11.2 of the party’s constitution which was revised in 2006 to transform the party’s Technical Committees into a Shadow Cabinet.

It is a forum where future SDF government policies, decisions and actions can be scrutinised in support of its parliamentary Group actions and discussions at the National Executive Committee (NEC). Party literature at the workshop indicated that SDF Shadow Cabinet Ministers are Senior Spokespersons of the party who are not necessarily members of the Parliamentary opposition but are either members of NEC or co-opted on the score of their technical experience.