The Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, has said the construction of the main building to host central services of the Ministry of Justice will continue this year. He was speaking while responding to the best wishes for 2016 from the personnel of his Ministry on Friday January 22, 2016 in Yaounde. “Construction works are on course, we are in construction and the works are advancing”, he stated.
Apart from the construction of the new edifice for the ministry, efforts would also be intensified for the decongestion of Cameroonian prisons by speeding up the judicial proceedings as well as the effective implementation and popularisation of the National Strategic Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights launched last December.
The traditional New Year Wishes ceremony that took place at the basement of the uncompleted ministerial building saw various departments taking turns to wish the Minister of State, the Minister of Justice, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice, Jean Pierre Fogui as well as the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration, Doh Jerome Penbaga a happy New Year.
The ceremony void of speeches started with the decoration of some 30 personnel of the Ministry with different State distinctions ranging from the medal of Grand Officer of Valour, Knight of Valour, National Order of Merit, Public Force medal for penitentiary Administration staff and labour medals. Two of the recipients who are on retirement were decorated for their meritorious services to the State.Other highlights of the event included handshakes and military salutes as well as handing of bouquets of flowers by friends and relatives to recipients and souvenir photos.