Members of the Production and Trade Committee of the National Assembly will today November 20, 2015, begin examining a bill on commercial activities in Cameroon.

The bill, which seeks to establish a new legal framework for commercial activities in the country, was deposited at the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House yesterday November 19, 2015 during a plenary sitting chaired by Vice Speaker, Hon. Baoro Théophile. 

The spirit of the bill, according to an explanatory statement, is to help better regulate the domestic goods and service markets in order to stimulate production and satisfy the needs of consumers. The proposed bill addresses the need to update and adapt the principles and rules applicable to commercial activities in Cameroon to contemporary legislations given that Law No.90/31 of 31 August 1990 governing the sector has become obsolete in issues of distribution of goods and services in the domestic market, the establishment of commercial offences amongst others. 

With the government's drive to stem unemployment and combat poverty, the document which comprises 105 sections defines the scope, the conditions for carrying out commercial activities, conditions for transportation, storage and distribution as well as the trader's accounting obligations amongst others. 

This is with the objective of fostering competitiveness through the production of goods and services, developing job-creating enterprises as well as streamlining and improving goods and service distribution channels in order to improve the livelihoods of Cameroonians. The bill will be defended by the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.