OHADA enjoined to strive for financial autonomy

PM Philemon Yang, on behalf of President Paul Biya, opened the 36th Council of Ministers meeting yesterday, July 24.

The Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang, has urged the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa to work towards financial autonomy as recommended by Heads of State of the 17 member countries.

He was speaking in Yaounde yesterday July 24, 2014, as he opened the 36th Council of Ministers meeting.

PM Yang recalled that the Heads of State and Government, at their last summit, tasked OHADA to take necessary measures to ensure financial autonomy.

The Prime Minister was accompanied among other cabinet ministers, by the Minister of State in charge of Justice, Laurent Esso and Finance Minister, Alamine Ousmane Mey.

The Council of Ministers meeting in Yaounde is therefore challenged to reflect on overcoming the financial challenge. Selecting judges for the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, among other stumbling blocks, the PM said, must be overcome as OHADA seeks better competitiveness.

As at now, judges for the court are nominated by member countries, but experts have spoken of the need for a more competitive entry system.

“They will henceforth appear before a jury for admission into the court,” the Permanent Secretary for OHADA, Dorothé Cossi Sossa, explained. He said mastering business law was complex and OHADA needed competent judges.

OHADA has four official working languages (English, French, Portuguese and Spanish) consequently, the ministers were also enjoined to ensure that all the languages are used, not just French.

Cossi Sossa disclosed that ministers will, amongst other things, examine the revised personnel manual and the annual programme for the harmonisation of Business Laws.

He hailed progress made by OHADA in the socio-economic sectors, thanks to the peace and stability in Cameroon under the leadership of President Paul Biya.

The decisions taken in 2000 and 2003 in Yaounde during the meeting of ministers are gradually being implemented, he assured.

Cameroon is a land of legendary hospitality, with much to show. As “Africa in miniature,” the Government Delegate to the Yaounde City Council, Gilbert Ntsimi Evouna, invited delegates to the meeting to enjoy the country.

OHADA member States are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville and Gabon.

Others are Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Chad and Togo.

The organs of the organisation are the Conference of Heads of State and Government, a Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, a High Regional School of Magistracy, a Council of Ministers and the Permanent Secretariat.

Its Permanent Secretariat is based in Cameroon. The Conference of Ministers ends tomorrow July 26.