Cameroon’s technical secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is fine-tuning its 2014-2016 action plan with a challenge of continually maintaining its “Compliant Country” status acquired on October 17, 2013 during the 25th session of the Board of Directors of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Abidjan.

A working session grouping members of the technical secretariat and actors of the civil society held at EITI Cameroon head office in Yaounde on Friday May 16 chaired by the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Finance, Pierre Titti. Target was to harmonise their points of view and beef up what the technical secretariat had already drafted so as to come up with an inclusive and participatory plan of action capable of surmounting growing challenges.

Speaking during the concertation forum, Minister Pierre Titti said tasks like the conciliation of financial flows, publication of reports and efficient management of the extractive sector as well as the evaluation of acquired results to ascertain the impact of the Compliant Country Status on the population remain daunting.

Going by the draft plan of action under examination, there are issues like the drawing up and adoption of a law on EITI in Cameroon, updating and adopting a procedure manual on financial, administrative and accounting management of the sector and the carrying out of annual audits and controls of the committee’s accounts.

Field trips to extractive sites and exchange tours are also envisaged likewise the putting in place of a central data unit and documentation and archives for the country’s EITI. The committee also needs a code of ethics as well as an internal ad hoc committee in charge of specific issues.

The plan also envisages the adoption of conciliatory reports of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The Secretary General of EITI is announced in Cameroon in the days ahead to participate in celebrating the country’s attainment of the compliant status.