Government to ratify six bills

At the plenary session on Friday, November 14, 2014, it was also announced that some MPs sent questions to the Prime Minister and three cabinet ministers.

The first plenary sitting of the Third Ordinary Session of the Ninth Legislative Period of the National Assembly was held on Friday, November 14, 2014 at the Ngoa-Ekelle, Yaounde Glass House following the opening on Wednesday, November 12, 2014.

House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, presented six government draft bills for ratification. He also read out the names of MPs who forwarded written questions to the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang, and the Ministers of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Justice and Keeper of the Seals, and Communication. The concerns are expected to be addressed later in question time plenary.

Algiers OAU Convention On Terrorism The first of the bills seeks to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, Convention on the Prevention and Combatting of Terrorism, which was adopted in Algiers, Algeria, on 14 July 1999. The Convention seeks to take appropriate measures, in the light of the scope and gravity of the phenomenon, especially with recurrent Boko Haram incursions into the Far North Region.

Addis Ababa OAU Convention On Terrorism The second is to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combatting of Terrorism, adopted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 8 July 2004. Its main purpose is to enhance the effective implementation of the Convention and to give effect to Article 3 (d) of the Protocol relating to the establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

AU Charter On Cultural Renaissance The third bill is to permit the President of the Republic to ratify the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, adopted in Khartoum, Sudan, on 24 January 2006. The charter encourages the promotion of cultural diversity as a factor of mutual enrichment of peoples and nations.

AU Convention On Internally-displaced Persons The fourth is to allow the President of the Republic to proceed with the membership of Cameroon to the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally-displaced Persons (IDPs) in Africa, adopted in Kampala, Uganda, on 22 October 2009.

It is the first international treaty adopted at the continental level for the protection and assistance of displaced persons within their own countries. The bill comes at a time that Cameroon is faced with an increasing number of IDPs as a result of conflicts in neighbouring countries.

Ordinance On Petroleum Tax Reductions On the other hand, another bill seeks to ratify Ordinance No. 2014/1 of 7 July 2014 on reducing the Special Tax on Petroleum Products (STPP) and other taxes payable by passengers and goods carriers. The first six months of the current financial year have already absorbed FCFA 157 billion in fuel subsidy, out of the FCFA 220 billion budgeted.

Lake Chad Basin Water Charter The last of the bills seeks to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the Lake Chad Basin Water Charter, adopted in N’Djamena, Chad, on 30 April 2012. Its objective is the sustainable development of the Lake Chad Basin through integrated, equitable and concerted management of the Basin’s shared water resources and environment.