Vision 2035 stipulates social protection for all

Cameroon intends to honour most of the objectives that directly affect citizens by 2035. Among the objectives listed in the Strategy Document for growth and employment bearer of this vision features prominently, the reduction of poverty to an acceptable level, through improving protection and social security.

The percentage of Cameroonian workforce who evolve in the informal sector to indicatively have no social protection were estimated to be over 80%. The system of social security in force in Cameroon only concerns employed holders of contracts of employment, on one hand, and civil servants on the other hand, comprising less than 20% of the employed labour force.

Next to protection schemes managed by the State and the National Welfare Fund, there are some social protection offerings from insurers. It is clear that the primary needs of minimum social protection are therefore largely insufficient in Cameroon as in many other African countries.

The extension of social security to the not yet covered socio-professional categories remains one of the priority objectives of the Government. The Minister of labour and social security, Grégoire Owona reaffirmed this option of the State by announcing, during his press conference on Tuesday, the opportunity available to voluntary contributors to the old-age pension, disability and death insurance.

In recent years, indeed, the Government resolutely committed series of measures to end the extension of social protection for the benefit of the greatest number of Cameroonians.

In this perspective, it has thus set up in the Ministry of labour and social security, a Steering Committee interdepartmental to prepare the creation of three structures to provide the CNPS, namely, the National Fund of social security, the National Fund of personnel of the State and the national health insurance fund.

Meanwhile the effective creation of these structures to oversee the welfare of the greatest number of Cameroonians, the intervention of the Minister of labour and social security, in the context of Government communication, is more timely that it highlights the social protection options that already offer not yet covered socio-professional categories.

These possibilities are appointed by Decree of the Prime Minister signed on August 13, which sets out the conditions and the modalities of support for the voluntary insurance scheme insured pensions, disability and death.

This Decree has opened up the possibility to apply the law establishing an old age pension insurance and death benefit and its amending subsequent which provide for the case of the worker who does not meet the requirements for affiliation to the plans of the State or the CNPS.

The determination of the public authorities in this regard is clear. However, there are many obstacles to overcome, precisely workers covered mostly in the informal sector. There's no doubt that at the end of an effort of awareness in depth and change in attitudes, it might bring a growing number of people paid in the informal sector to spontaneously join old-age insurance, invalidity and death.