Lawyers commit to fight insecurity

The General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association (GA) has met in Buea and resolved to stand by the State institutions and the people of Cameroon in their fight against the insecurity creeping in from foreign countries through the Boko Haram Islamic sect from Nigeria and the overflow of rebellion from the Central African Republic.

Meeting last 28 June, 2014, under the chairmanship of the GA President, Barrister Tang Emmanuel, flanked by the Bar Council President, Barrister Sama Francis Asanga, the lawyers resolved, among other things, to petition the Cameroon Government not to proceed with the appointment of Public Notaries in the North West and South West Regions.

As such, the Barristers wished that that aspect of legal practice be reserved for Advocates in this area who are already handling public notary work.

They requested their GA and Bar Council Presidents to follow up the matter with Government so that it is resolved once and for all.

It also filtered from the Buea meeting that the results for the admission of lawyers into the Bar are expected to be published any time soon by an order from the titular Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seal.

The Bar entrance results will swell the number of lawyers in Cameroon from the existing 2.500 in a country of over 20 million inhabitants.

While whipping up the process to create the first ever law school in Cameroon to be attached to the University of Buea, the Barristers resolved for continuous formation of lawyers through seminars and refresher courses to strengthen the practice of the legal profession.

As the President of the executive arm of the Bar (Council), Barrister Sama Asanga, lauded the presence of Justice Joseph Fonkwe who sat in for the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seal while praising the massive attendance and serious deliberations at the Buea meeting.

“The Bar is alive, dynamic and progressing as honour and dignity are being restored to it,” Sama Asanga said.

“We stand resolutely to defend the people, the rule of law, and peace for the successful development of Cameroon.” Sama Asanga added.

It is noteworthy that to instill discipline in the Cameroon Bar of 2.500 members, four lawyers were disbarred in Cameroon last year and 10 others suspended from six months to two years.

In the same period, some 300 of them were called to order by the Bar Council. As expected, some of those under the axe of discipline appealed their cases which are still pending.