MPs Talk Development Opportunities

By Victorine BIY-NFOR, Cameroon Tribune, 26-11-2013

A one-day seminar held at the House Chamber on November 25.

Members of Parliament (MPs) have been reminded that for Cameroon to reach economic emergence by 2035, their role in scaling up the country’s growth rate is indispensable.  Christian Penda Ekoka, trainer at the one-day seminar yesterday, November 25, 2013, at the Yaounde Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House reminded MPs that for a growth rate of about 8 per cent to be sustained in the next 20 years, their five-year tenure is supposed to be used to master Cameroon’s public finance system.

Hon. Datouo Théodore, one of the five Vice Presidents of the National Assembly, opening the forum on behalf of House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, noted that for MPs to oversee government’s activities, they need to be well schooled on public policies and the laws guiding them. The workshop, according to him, therefore came as a chance for MPs to get acquainted with the country’s development opportunities in the areas of agriculture, fishery, animal husbandry, mines, energy, water, banking and finance, micro-credit, and post and telecommunications.

Penda Ekoka said Cameroon has been beneath five per cent growth rate and needed to add value in productive sectors like fishery, animal husbandry and agriculture to overcome the enormous challenges facing it. “We are importing more than 200, 000 metric tonnes of fish per year and the negative effects on the balance of payments were glaring,” he said, noting that the seminar was to provide “timely and appropriate answers to economic challenges facing the country with regards to the task that lies ahead of MPs.”>>>