Parliament : Intense, Productive November Session

The third ordinary session of Parliament for the 2024 legislative was indeed epic. Members of Parliament, both at the National Assembly and Senate, were busy with legislative affairs. A total of 13 legal instruments proposed by the government was adopted, oral questions asked to members of government, the National Assembly complex inaugurated, field visits carried out and capacity building seminars organised. 
Amongst the thirteen bills adopted is the State budget for 2025 which stands at FCFA 7,317.7 billion as balanced in revenue and expenditure. The Prime Minister, Head of Government was also at the National Assembly on December 1, 2024 to present government’s political, economic and social programme for the next financial year. In essence, both the Prime Minister’s presentation and the Finance Bill contain main projects to be implemented in various sectors so as to improve the lives of the population. Based on the projections in the Finance Bill that notes a reduction of subsidies for fuel prices at the pump from FCFA 263 billion in 2024 to FCFA 15 billion in 2025, legislators expressed worry if that translates to an increase in fuel prices. The Minister of Finance clarified their worry, noting that the projection is induced by the forecast of a fall in the price of a barrel of oil in the world market and a drop in the dollar exchange rate. Other documents examined and adopted include the Settlement Bill for 2023 which detailed how government generated revenue and implemented projects within the State budget of FCFA 6,662.5 billion, the bill to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the convention on the establishment of the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation, proceeding with Cameroon's accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications, and proceeding with Cameroon’s accession to the Convention of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperati...