The Members of the National Assembly during a question time plenary sitting of the House on July 5, 2013, requested from the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang and five other cabinet ministers, clarification on the way government was handling many aspects of national life. The Senior Vice President of the Lower House of Parliament, Hon. Hilarion Etong chaired the plenary sitting with Minister Grégoire Owona sitting in for the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali.

Mayors' Salaries

Prime Minister Philemon Yang answered Hon. Ndi François' question on the delay in implementing the law providing for the payment of salaries to mayors and other municipal authorities. Mr Yang said the decentralisation process in the country was progressing and insisted on the effective participation of all actors. On the financing of the process by the State, he cited the Common Decentralisation Fund and budgetary allocations for the running of councils.

The Law on the Common Decentralisation Fund makes provisions for investment and running cost and the salaries of municipal authorities is contained in the running budget. The Head of Government said that since 2012, some FCFA 3 billion is budgeted for the salaries of mayors. He explained that a law is being finalised on the modalities of the payment. However, he said, municipal authorities were remunerated through provisions in financial allocations to councils.

Contract Commissions

The Head of Government also answered a question on Contract Commissions in councils. Hon. Ndi François considered the taking over of all matters relating to contracts by the Ministry of Public Contracts as concentration of powers and weakening development pace at local levels hitherto overseen by council contract commissions. Mr Yang said judicially, Contract Commissions in councils no longer existed. They are replaced by Internal Contracts Commissions. However, the 14 City Councils in the country have contract commissions.

January 1 Incident in Foumban

Hon. Ndam Njoya Tomaino Hermine Patricia asked questions to the Prime Minister and Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso on clashes between supporters of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU and those of the Sultan of the Bamouns in Foumban on January 1, 2013 that led to the arrest and detention of people, two of whom are CDU councillors. She said all complaints lodged for their release have yielded no fruits. Prime Minister Yang said judicial investigations were opened into the case, stating that he had the reserve not to comment on acts of justice. The Minister of State for Justice, basing on the Constitution, said Parliament only controls government action and not the judiciary. As a result, he said no member of government could answer a question in Parliament on judicial matters.

Other Concerns

The Prime Minister answered a question on local administrative authorities who ask for contributions from the population during national official events and the tours of some senior government officials. He said the law makes provisions for disbursement of funds from the State budget to finance such events. However, he said, contributions had no judicial base. He explained that they stemmed from the hospitality, generosity and participatory development which are parts of the African culture and should be voluntary.

Four other cabinet ministers who answered questions were André Mama Fouda, Minister of Public Health, Abba Sadou, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Public Contracts. There were equally the Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Basile Atangana Kouna and the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industry, Dr Taiga.