The second ordinary parliamentary session for the year2010 which opened up on June 1 will soon be wrapped up after heated debatesbetween ministers and the people’s representatives.

In the National Assembly, from session to session, people change, emotions rise, institutionsquake (…), priorities vary, stakes differ but rules remain untouched: questions from Members of Parliament and answers from government ministers.

As the current session rounds off, the big questions asked to ministers within the last seven days include that of Hon Patricia Ndam Njoya of the Cameroon Democratic Union to the Minister of communication. She sought to find out why issues related to the National Assembly are poorly covered by state media…and also asked why there isno airtime reserved for political parties on national TV and radio. “Why don’t you ask the President of the Republic to create a special news organ for the National Assembly, it will permit our electorates to know and see PMs who sleepand discuss while parliamentary business goes on”, she interrogated Mr IssaTchiroma.  In response, he explained that “in CRTV where I double as board chair, there are there 4 special brigades reserved for coverage at the Presidency of the Republic (2), National Assembly (1) and Prime Ministers office (1). As a matter of fact, journalists in charged of coverage at the National Assembly have difficulties not knowing the appropriate programme of parliamentary sessions. Yet, a conscious effort is made at CRTV radio to ensure a live broadcast of deliberations during plenary sessions”. Further a field, the communication boss illuminated his interviewee’s thoughts by revealing that “since March 2010, I signed two decisions scheduling time for political parties to communicate on national TV and radio. As at now, no one has bothered to show up”. He later said he had suggested to the publisher of Cameroon Tribune to dedicate a full page for parliamentary activities during sessions.

Another interesting question was that of  Hon Gaston Komba from the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement. He questioned the Minister of State Property and Land Tenure on what the government does to ensure the ownership of its lands. As well, he asked the Minister of Youth if there is any coherence between the various youth programmes in ministries (PIASSI, PAJER-U, PIFMAS, etc) as well as the creation of the National Youth Service for development. In explaining how government goes about protecting all its properties, Mr Jean Baptist Beleoken said despite budgetary constrains, “the state is securing land by encouraging the building of new structures and has recently identified 2 million hectares of land”. Yet, he admitted that some hurdles hamper the smooth functioning of  the activities related with protecting state property as a whole. On his part, the minister of youth said “youth is a reality that concerns all ministries reason why several youth programmes are created in the various ministries”. In line with the MP’s preoccupation, the minister agreed that there is need to create a structure for the coordination of youth projects across all ministries. Concerning the National Youth Service for development, the minister of youth announced that for the year 2010, as demanded by the Presidency of the Republic, CFA 350 million have been put aside to empower the brilliant idea. “We are just waiting for it to be created”, he said.

As a matter of fact, the on going session goes down the annals of the history of this nation as that which received the Secretary General of the United Nation, Mr Ban Ki Moon onJune 10, 2010.

Manyanye Ikome