At opening of June Session: House Speaker drums land reforms, transparency in mining sector.

He made the call while opening the Second Ordinary Session of the National Assembly for the 2026 legislative year Tuesday.

The sitting was also attended by the President of the Senate, Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye; Prime Minister, Head of Government, Dr Chief Joseph Dion Ngute, alongside ministers and members of diplomatic corps.   

Addressing key concerns affecting the nation, Hon Datouo said there is need for improved transparency in the mining sector. Cameroon's rich subsoil, endowed with mineral resources, he said, presents a golden opportunity for the country. 

He insisted that such resources should act as a catalyst for economic development, job creation, infrastructure development and the structural transformation of the economy.

Noting that public debate is increasingly rife with substantial figures being cited, he asserted that questions about revenue currently generated by exploiting certain resources remain unanswered.

“Issues are also being raised about mechanisms for collecting, managing, and redistributing revenue thus generated. Even more worrying is that people in mining areas sometimes feel the wealth extracted from the subsoil is not really improving their living conditions-a situation that fuels a sense of misunderstanding,” Rt Hon Datouo said.

Affirming that the issue about mining cannot afford to be ignore, the House Speaker emphasised that sectorial ministries and the government must redouble efforts to improve transparency, oversight effectiveness, revenue traceability, and fair redistribution of economic benefits to local population.

Parliament’s role 

The lawmaker reiterated that Parliament must continue to accomplish its task of legislating and government oversight. Going by him, it is time to brainstorm on the reforms needed to enable the country to derive greater benefits from its mining resources. 

This, he added, must be done while ensuring that the interests of the communities concerned are effectively taken into account.

Land tenure reforms

Land tenure was another important issue in the House Speaker’s address. He said land certificate, considered as the cornerstone of legal security in property matters, is intended to ensure the owner's rights remain stable and their assets protected.

The Speaker lamented that: “Yet recurring land disputes and litigation, protracted procedures, competing claims, and some reprehensible practices have created the impression that legally established procedures may be called into question”.

With public authorities already taking initiatives aimed at modernising land governance, Rt Hon Datouo specified that such initiatives must be sustained.

“Cameroonians do not expect sterile debates from us. They expect solutions and meaningful reforms. They expect our institutions to work together in the service of the common good,” he further told the august house.

Other issues

The House Speaker later underscored major concerns expressed by citizens across the country, including the rising cost of living, youth unemployment, access to quality education and healthcare, potable water supply, access to electricity, infrastructure development, agricultural modernisation, environmental protection, and the overall improvement of living standards.

With these in mind, he said deliberations during the June session, especially the Budget Orientation Debate, will help in shaping the State Budget for the year 2027. 

He then called on MPs to conduct the deliberations in a spirit of responsibility, rigour and constant pursuit of the general interest.

The sitting was also punctuated by a minute of silence in honour of the two patriarch of the country’s Parliament, Hon Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, immediate past House Speaker, and the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji. They all passed on weeks after the conclusion of the March session that saw them replaced. 

He also praised the successful holding of the Papal visit and the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3813 of Wednesday June 10, 2026