Fight Against Boko Haram: Senate, Senators Promise FCFA 100M Support To Military

Yaounde, Cameroon—The president of the senate has disclosed that within the context of the ongoing national solidarity with the Cameroon defence forces fighting the Boko Haram terrorist group, senators and the senate (upper house of parliament), have put the sum of FCFA 100Million at the disposal of the forces at the front.

Marcel Niat Njifenji

Though the president did not state when and how the will be handed to the gallantry forces, he explained that senators, irrespective of their political leanings espoused the initiative and accepted to voluntarily and collectively contribute FCFA 50Million while the house will contribute FCFA 50 Million.

The CPDM senator from the West region Marcel Niat Njifenji, was speaking in Yaounde on Tuesday March 17, 2015 following his reelection as president of the upper house of parliament; the senate. Niat got 83 of the 97 valid vote cast, against 14 null votes; corresponding to the 14 opposition SDF representatives of the house.

The first vice president of the house, Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye, also Lamido of Rey Bouba in the North region was also reelected through a uninominal ballot in which the score was same like that of the president.

Just like the president and first vice, the other fifteen members of the permanent bureau were also maintained except for Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, CPDM senator from the Southwest region who replaced the late Senator Fontem Njifua as Questor.

Though critics say Senator Niat was already aware of his victory following his investiture by the party in a meeting that preceded the election, he (Niat) described his reelection as a great honour.  “For me, this is a great honour and an enormous privilege”, he said.

While thanking the national chairman of the CPDM and president of the republic, Paul Biya for his investiture, Senator Niat was reassuring that like in the past, “I would work by his side with commitment, loyalty and with the fear of God, for the triumph of the general interest and the supreme interest of the nation”, he promised.

Senator Niat was full of gratitude to his colleagues, acknowledging that they have always been by him during their early years of existence.

“What has been accomplished through your support is really worth commending. However, what is left to be done requires that we step up our efforts even more”, Senator Niat urged his colleagues.

The senate president reassured his colleagues that he has already committed himself. “I commit myself to do the utmost to ensure that our house plays its role, only its role, and its entire role at the centre of nation’s legal and institutional arsenal”, he said.

According to Senator Wanlo John from the Northwest region, the reelection of the bureau is a sign of solidarity and continuity.

 “We cannot change a winning team, the senate is a young legislative institution and we started with Senator Niat as president. Our party endorsed him again, we have to support him and his entire bureau so that we can together continue working for the good of all Cameroonians that we represent at the senate”, Wanlo said.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi