Parliament says no to terrorism in Cameroon
This was the take home message from the Senate and
National Assembly that opened on Tuesday 14 November, for the budgetary
session.
By Mercy Neba in Yaounde
 |
| Cavaye Yeguei Djibril |
Addressing
the senators and the high-powered guests, including the Prime Minister and the
Ministers, the senate president Marcel Niat Njifendji described the November
session as crucial because it is coming at a time when Cameroon is going
through a serious crisis in the Anglophone regions of the country, with some
individuals bent on plunging the country into chaos and with threats of
secession and acts of terrorism.
Hon.
Niat said this was unacceptable. He called on all senators to play an active
role in promoting dialogue as a means towards finding an end the crisis. This
call was appreciated by senators.
“The
senate president was passionate about the situation in the NW & SW regions. You could see how passionate he was in his
appeal for dialogue and negotiations as relevant means towards finding a
solution to the very worrying problem,” said Mbella Moki Charles, CPDM Senator
for Buea in the SW.
Unfortunately,
the opening session of the senate took place in the absence of SDF senators,
whose absence was deplored by some senators.
“We
don’t fight a situation like that in the NW and SW in dispersed ranks. When
there is a problem in the house there is every reason for us to sit down together
and talk, instead of staying away. I don’t know why SDF colleagues opted to
stay away, but I think that if it is because of the situation in the NW and SW,
it is better for us to sit in the house and talk like we have been doing
before. By absenting we are only fuelling the situation,” said Wallang David
Akwo, CPDM senator for NW.
The
senate president made it clear that with the crisis in the NW and SW, it
behooves all Cameroonians to sit together and concert and seek lasting
solutions through dialogue. He said there was no need for any foreign
interference.
2018 state budget must be realistic
With the
2018 state budget expected to be scrutinized and voted this session, the house
speaker of the national assembly, Cavaye Yeguei Djibril, called for MPs to make
sure they vote a realistic budget that meets the aspirations of the majority of
Cameroonians. Cavaye urged MPs to emphasize on the provision of basic needs
like water and energy, boosting second generation agriculture, youth
empowerment and food sufficiency.
Like his
counterpart of the senate, the national assembly speaker called for dialogue in
resolving the Anglophone Crisis, saying Cameroon belongs to all its citizens,
and Cameroonians must stay together and work together if the country must grow
in peace and unity.
Cavaye
used the occasion to hail Cameroonian MPs who were elevated to high positions
in different international parliamentary associations, notably Hon. Emilia
Lifaka who was voted only last week as the president of the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association CPA, in Bangladesh.
He also
highlighted the 8bn contract for the construction of a new edifice to host the
National Assembly.
For
their part, the MPs present were not indifferent to the remarks of their
Speaker.
“We
expect that dialogue will continue with respect to the crisis in Anglophone
Cameroon. Also we expect that the budget will take into consideration the
various programs that have been earmarked,” said Hon. Bernard Foju, CPDM MP for
Libialem.
For her
part, Hon Okpu Susan Eba Nsosie from Eyumojock, condemned the burning of
schools by secessionists.
“When we
go burning schools, it does not augur well for us and our children because the
parents will still be the ones to look for funds to rebuild the schools. As for
the 2018 state budget that we are about to examine, I hope it should reflect
the aspirations of the people. This is because when we went out to the field
during the period of recess the cry of the youths was that of unemployment,
while the rural women want to be accompanied in their agricultural efforts. Our
women are not given due consideration in agricultural policies,” Susan Okpu
said, stating that parliamentarians should be given a frontline role in efforts
to finding solutions to the ongoing crisis.
“Why are
MPs relegated to the background in the current crisis? As representatives of
the people we should also be sent on official missions to meet and talk with
the people,” Hon. Okpu Susan suggested.
For her
part, Hon. Gladys Itombi Ekome wants the ministers to explain what they did
with the 2017 budgetary allocations before the new allocations can be voted.
“We need to know if the ministers actually carried out
the projects for which their budgets were voted,” she said, adding that “as for
the ongoing crisis, my constituents are looking up to the head of state to
address the nation and to proffer solutions towards a return to normalcy. The
president is the father of the nation and in times like this, a father should
talk with his children.”
It
should be noted that like was the case in the senate, the rituals at the
national Assembly happened without a single SDF MP present.
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