The president of the senate has revealed that some of its administrative services will be delocalized from the temporary house of senate; the Yaounde Conference Centre, for better efficiency.

Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji was speaking in Yaounde last Saturday 10 January while receiving New Year wishes from members of the Bureau of the Senate, other senators and staff of the Senate.

According to Senator Njifenji, though not an election year, the year 2014 at the Senate was a tough one characterised by intense legislative and political activities and pledged that the baby legislative institution will continue its missions in accordance with the constitutional provisions.

The Senate president hailed the commitment of staff of the Senate; most of whom were temporal workers who served assiduously in 2014. He mentioned that it is thanks to them that the Senate progressed steadily, reason why they have to remain confident in the future, Senator Niat Njifenji said.

He rejoiced that “every time the Senate was called, it assumed the tasks entrusted to it by the Constitution. That is how the house was called to legislate on 28 bills during the three sessions of the 2014 legislative year,” the Senate president said.

Though the Senate successfully examined and adopted 28 bills in 2014, the work, according to the Senate president, was accomplished in an environment that was not always favorable.

This was why Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji announced that for more efficiency and in order to provide more amenities to the administrative staff of the house, “arrangements are being made so that some administrative services can be delocalized”.

Through the president, the senate in one voice reaffirmed the determination of the institution to support President Paul Biya in the war against Boko Haram and preservation of the territorial integrity of Cameroon.

Speaking earlier, the Secretary-General of the Senate, Michel Meva’a Meboutou, on behalf of the administrative staff, noted that progress was registered in terms of the functioning of the young legislative institution with all three sessions of the 2014 legislative taking place “without glaring failures”. He promised the spirit with which the staff worked in 2014 will be maintained.

It was the second time the Senate president was receiving New Year wishes from peers and the administrative staff of the house following the putting in place of the Senate in 2013.

The New Year wishes ceremony at the Senate was preceded by a Bureau meeting on Friday 9th January 2015. At the end of their in-camera meeting at the Yaounde Conference centre, Senate president and chair of the Bureau, Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji, explained that they reviewed senators’ emoluments in tune with what obtains in the National Assembly.

The Senate President said following instructions they received, they took a second look at some documents in order “to move on the same wavelength” with the National Assembly. This was understood to mean having a second look at salaries and allowances of senators in order to align them with those of MPs.