Asked about the Economic and Social Council (CES), few Cameroonians say they know this institution. ” We have never seen what the economic and social council has already brought to the country. What is it really for? We only know him by name” says Armel Mbono, executive in an agri-food company. The reality is that this consultative body created by the constitution has only been operational for a few years. Precisely during the period of the five-year plans (1960-1985).
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Since then, the body has not been seized by the President of the Republic, whose decree of last April fixes the distribution by category of the 150 members of the council. If this text augurs the resumption of its activities, this body will therefore have the first challenge of making itself known by the citizens by showing them through actions what role it must play. Because even for many intellectuals, the economic council at present is simply a budget-consuming body given that despite its inertia, it continues to benefit from a budgetary allocation each year.
The council therefore has another major challenge. Break with the immobility that characterizes it so far. For some, it has the obligation to be efficient and effective, in particular through relevant opinions to be submitted to the President of the Republic. In these times of rising cost of living, advice should be for some sociologists, an important role in reducing poverty? To do this, rely on the quality of its members who reflect different socio-professional categories. For Claude Abbe, there is no doubt that if ” this an institution had been functional, it could be of a certain help”.
Support for the SND-30
A consultative body, the Economic and Social Council aims to support the government in the implementation and execution of its policies throughout the national territory. The CES will therefore have to take things in hand with its members made up of business leaders, experts and academics who will independently assess the nature and effectiveness of Cameroon’s economic policies. It would therefore be eagerly awaited in the implementation of SND30, the government’s main programming document.
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This is also the opinion of Camercap, a think tank that analyzes public policies. ” It would be appropriate, to get out of this hibernation, that the CES make an update to take its place, and its full place, in the institutional system of Cameroon, precisely in the framework of economic and social policies”, says Barnabé Okouda who heads Camercap.
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But for the CES to be truly at the heart of Cameroon’s economic and social development program, it should count on its president, accused of immobility. According to Jean Marie Atangana Mebara, former government member Luc Ayang is somehow responsible for the council’s inertia. According to him, he should have take the lead a long time ago, in particular by submitting proposals to the president for the functioning of the institution. From now on, the distribution of the members is known.
There are 66 members for the Economy, Social Development, Employment, Education, Health, Culture, Sport, Scientific and Technical Research, Press, Environment and Sustainable Development, Information and Communication Technology categories. 24 members for agriculture, fishing, livestock and forestry. 18 members in the category of Industry, Commerce and Crafts. 12 members for banks and credit. 6 union members, 6 for associations. 12 members of women’s and youth associations and 6 members for the liberal professions.
