Cameroon-Commonwealth; Stakeholders Assess Governance Programmes

Visiting Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland yesterday held a joint working session with five control structures operating in Cameroon.

Cameroon’s good governance policy has come under review with the hope that Cameroon- Commonwealth partnership could be further deepened to right noticeable wrongs for a just, inclusive and equitably developed country. On day three of her fiveday official visit to Cameroon on the invitation of the country’s Chief Executive, Paul Biya, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, yesterday December 20, 207 held a joint working session with five control structures operating in the country.

The working session at the Conference Room of the National Anticorruption Commission (CONAC) grouped top officials of CONAC, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), National Good Governance Programme, National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms and the National Communication Council. A rare moment for officials of the different structures to present what they are out for, path covered and shortcomings impeding their efficiency.

According to the Chairman of CONAC, Rev. Dieudonne Massi Gams, who spoke on behalf of the good governance structures, they play an important role in ensuring justice for inclusive sustainable development. He told the visiting Commonwealth SG that, “you may not have a magic wand to the problems we face but together, I think we can move mountains.” A view shared in CONAC’s presentation which highlighted the stakes and challenges of combating corruption in the country.

Going by the presenter, Irene Tche Morikang, of the Communication department of CONAC, the Commission works with the gentlemen’s club through the Commonwealth Anti-corruption Agency thanks to which networking and benchmarking are enhanced.

She said although the political will in the fight against corruption has been shown at the supreme level of the country, the popular will still lacks. Reason why CONAC, she said, petitioned the Commonwealth through the Ministry of External Relations for an installation of a hotline through which acts of corruption can be denounced at no cost as well as an electronic governance system to greatly limit corruption- tempting manual work.

To the Chairman of ELECAM Board, Enow Abrams Egbe, the mutations the elections and referenda organising structure has gone through over the years made better its functioning. He disclosed that a tentative record of the number of registered voters for future elections in the country as at the closure of the registration process ...