National Assembly rejectes water catchment protection bill

The Private Members’ bill proposed by S.D.F. MP, Hon Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, did not get majority votes in plenary on April 6, 2015.

The Private Members’ bill to lay down rules governing the protection and preservation of water catchment areas, watersheds and wetlands in Cameroon was rejected by the National Assembly during its plenary sitting chaired by House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, yesterday, April 6, 2015.

The rejection of the bill proposed by the Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian of the Social Democratic Front (S.D.F.) parliamentary group, followed a majority vote by MPs in favour of a preliminary objection to general discussions submitted by Hon. Emilia Mojowa Lifaka from the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (C.P.D.M.) parliamentary group.

She said the report of the substantive study of the bill by the Committee on Production and Trade was clear that the concerns raised by the committee’s members were not addressed by Hon. Mbaya and that the bill be rejected as recommended by the committee’s report.

According to the report read by the committee’s rapporteur, Hon. Eloundou Barnabe, the Private Members’ bill which had 14 sections sought to enhance the fight against climate change by protecting and preserving water catchment areas, watersheds and wetlands while encouraging all and sundry to become involved in activities to preserve the said areas, amongst others.

However, while commending the tabling of the Private Members’ bill, the committee members saw inadequacies regarding the bill’s objectives and the means to achieve them as well as the absence of documents appended, especially all the legislative and regulatory instruments in force on all sectors covered by the Private Members’ bill for its proper appraisal.

Mounting the rostrum, Hon. Mbaya expressed hope that because of the ravages of climate change and the need for Parliament to assume its duty to enact laws, he was sure that the bill will be enriched by the National Assembly and adopted anytime soon.