Lawyers of English extraction in Cameroon have sworn to maintain the common law practice in the North West and South West Regions of the Country; which practice allows for them to serve as both Advocates and Notaries.

The resolve was taken during the Ordinary General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association held in Buea, Saturday, June 28.

The resolution came amidst indications from government that Notaries would have to be appointed to serve in the Anglophone regions in Cameroon, a move the lawyers see as intended to destroy the Common Law Practice.

The resolution to resist the appointment of Notaries in the two anglophone regions was sanctioned by both Anglophone and Francophone lawyers. This comes after lawyers in the North West Region staged a protest match to the Ministry of Justice and to the Prime Minister’s Office.

After the meeting, the President of the Fako Lawyers Association (FAKLA), Barrister Stanislaus Ajong told The Journal that all the lawyers of the Cameroon Bar resolved to resist the appointment of Notaries in the North West and South West Regions.

“The entire Cameroon Bar Association has resolved that no Notaries should be appointed in the North West and South West. We resolved that the profession as exercised by the practicing advocates of these two regions is an ancestral heritage and there is no way any government will attempt to change it as at now. Such a change is not necessary,” Ajong said.

On what will be done if the government decides to act otherwise, Ajong said, “it will mean that the government is working against its own people and the consequences will follow.”

As for some Anglophone lawyers who had applied to be appointed Notaries, Ajong said they were advised to withdraw and it is not an issue anymore.

Emmanuel Obi Arrey, a Limbe-based advocate expressed satisfaction at the resolutions arrived at during the Bar General Assembly. “We shall continue to practice as advocates and Notaries in this part of the Country,” he said, urging government to respect the views of the lawyers on this matter.

Enter the General Assembly

The Ordinary Session of the Bar Association was convened and chaired by Emmanuel Tang, President of the Bureau of the General Assembly of the Bar.

Issues discussed during the meeting included the presentation of the report of the President of the Cameroon Bar Association, Report from the Auditors, approval of the operating budget of the Bar, and the protection of the rights of the lawyer in the exercise of his professional duties.

Executive and Judicial authorities attended the assembly that was partly sponsored by Chanas Assurances S.A.

Law School soon

Quizzed on the progress made to open a Law School in Cameroon, Francis Sama, Cameroon’s Bar President, said ‘plans are far advanced.’

“The project of the law school is in place and I must admit that late Barrister Bonu was the representative of the Bar in this big process. His demise will cause some little stalemate, but we are working tooth and nail with the University of Buea and our supervisory ministry to see that that takes place in the nearest future.”