June session: Four New Bills Are Adopted National Assembly

-Gov’t clarifies on attacks on diplomatic services abroad, situation of kidney patients, others

Four new bills have been adopted at the ongoing June session at the National Assembly. The bills defended by four cabinet ministers were adopted Friday 18 June 2021 during a plenary sitting chaired by House Speaker Rt. Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril.

The draft laws include that establishing an African Medicine Agency, enhance trade between Cameroon and United Kingdom, abolish visa requirement for national holders of diplomatic or service passports from Cameroon and Switzerland and to govern access to genetic resources.

General debates during the session on the bill relating to the establishment of an African Medicine Agency hinged on issues related to rampant sale of drugs on the streets nationwide with the MPs quizzing Public Health Minister on steps taken to curb the phenomenon.

Minister Manaouda Malachie told the MPs that there is a national committee which is working in the sector to see into it that order is brought in the sector. He however enjoined all and sundry to join in the fight to curb the practice. 

Replying questions related to the situation of persons living with chronic kidneys disease in the country, Manaouda said the situation remains a very high preoccupation of the ministry. He said demands have been made for 35 000 renal dialysis kits and 40 generators to be brought into the country in the days ahead. 

On his part, Minister Felix Mbayu, Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in Charge of the Commonwealth, clarified MPs on the protection of Cameroon’s diplomatic missions abroad following recurrent attacks from compatriots in the diaspora. Mbayu told the MPs that the situation is deplorable but the responsibility to protect diplomatic missions as per the Vienna Convention rest on the host countries. 

Other clarifications from Ministers Hele Pierre of the Environment and Nature Protection on the transfer of natural resources back to the population and those of Paul Tasong, Minister Delegate to the MINEPAT relating to strengthening trade deals with the UK, all four bills examined were then adopted by the MPs. The adoption of the four bills brings to five the total number of bills so far adopted at the ongoing session. 

By Doh Bertrand Nua