Ministers defend 2015 budgetary allocations

The exercise started on Friday 28th November 2014. The Ministers appeared in front of the finance committee to explain how the annual budget shall be used.

MINISTRY OF FINANCE/ 48.424 billion Minister Alamine Ousman Mey sounded positive that in spite of the world economic downturn, the Ministry’s priority actions shall enhance economic growth to 6.2 percent, improve programme implementation, improve collection of non oil revenue and create favourable business environment for development oriented projects amongst others.

TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION AND DECENTRALISATION/ 45,343 billion Minister Rene Sadi indicated that the budget shall fund priority projects including salaries of traditional rulers, treatment of refugees, continuation of the Decentralization process, enhancement of territorial sovereignty, etc.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT/ 108,692 billion Minister Essimi Menye argued that, as employer of an estimated 60 percent of the active population of Cameroon, the Ministry’s priority in 2015 shall be increased productivity through the empowerment of the different actors within the chain of production. The Minister also plans to modernize agricultural production infrastructure and encourage farmers to operate within cooperatives in order to benefit from training.

JUSTICE/ 47 billion The Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals presented an ambitious programme for 2015. The programme is in line with the ongoing reforms being implemented to improve upon the justice system in Cameroon. Other projects include the improvement of the living conditions of detainees.

WATER AND ENERGY/ 125.9 billion Minister Basile Atangana Kouna presented a number of projects all aimed at increasing access to water and energy nationwide. MPs insisted on concreted measures put in place to avoid a repeat of the recent water shortage and electricity cuts nationwide. The Minister assured that the bitter experience of frequent water and electricity rationing shall be something of the past.

EXTERNAL RELATIONS/ 30.6 billion The budget was defended by the Secretary of State in charge of Relations with the Islamic World, Adoum Gargoum. He told the peoples’ representatives within the Finance Committee that the Ministry plans to strengthen relations with Cameroonians of the Diaspora. This important group shall be integrated into the national development framework amongst other projects in 2015.

MINES AND INDUSTRY/ 9.8 billion Minister Emmanuel Bonde head of the Ministerial department insisted on his 2015 vision which is based mainly on an on- the- stop transformation of minerals. He argues that this vision can be effectively implemented with partnership from the private sector; and who talks of the private sector also points to an efficient legal framework.