CPDM elected officials to take the government to court

Elected officials of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), the party in power, have announced their intention to drag the government to the Cameroonian courts in case "negotiations for the restoration of rights local to communities on the impact of annual fees from logging fail,” according to official sources on Thursday evening in Yaoundé.

Click to enlargeCameroun: For the rights of village communities, elected officials of the ruling party has considered taking the government to court if "Failure to engage us in successful negotiations will be sent to the court of law," said Jean Jacques Zam, CPDM MP, at the headquarters of the National Assembly. Zam is originally from southern Cameroon and also National Coordinator of Repar, a network that brings together local elected mayors, deputies, and traditional authorities, which works for good governance in the meteorologist sector and exploitation of natural resources.

Originally, the Finance Act 2015 which removed the share (10%) has had an impact on the exploitation of natural resources returned to local communities.

Since December 23, 2014, the Finance Act has changed the product mix of the annual forestry fee allocated to village communities.

Village communities, according to a distribution grid were decided by a joint order, MINFI / MINATD / MINFOF, on June 2012 and benefits 10% of the annual forest royalties’ related benefits.

The removal of the share for the local population, depriving resources that can enable them to be self-financing in development projects, is causing the wrath of the Repar.

Before the courts, members of the Repar said they have had negotiations with the Cameroonian government especially the Minister of Finance in charge of Forests and Wildlife, as well as MINATD and the PM.