Protocol arrangements under debate

Decree No. 76/424 of 16 September 1976 fixing rules to be observed in public ceremonies prioritises administrative authorities.

The issue of precedence and financial contributions during public ceremonies came under debate during one of the committee sessions of the just ended 2nd ordinary sitting of the National Assembly.

In fact, the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation in charge of Regional and Local Councils, Jules DoretNdongo responded to worries of some MPs who raised concerns over the order of precedence and financial contributions during official ceremonies.According to the Minister’s response, there are texts that provide the protocol order in public ceremonies.

According to GrégoireMvongo in his book “AuthoritésAdministratives et cérémoniespublique au Cameroun” (Administrative Authorities and Public Ceremonies in Cameroon) decree No. 76/424 of 16 September 1976 fixes rules to be observed in public ceremonies, precedence, civil and military honours.

Article 18 of the above mentioned decree places administrative authorities at the centre of events. The said article defines how the protocol arrangements and the order of the ceremony unfolds in the regions, divisions, and sub-divisions placed under the authority of the Head of the Administrative unit (representative of the Head of State and the entire government in the administrative unit) The said article as cited in the book, states that the presiding administrative authority shall be received by the immediate subordinate assisted by the municipal authority of the area.

As concerns financial contributions, Cameroon Tribune gathered from sources at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, that the Presidency of the Republic disburses money to the different administrative units for public ceremonies like the National Day. Financial contributions from the elite of the area are not obligatory but might be necessary to augment what the State has allocated, our sources reiterated.