Parliament opens with honours for soldiers killed by Boko Haram

By Amindeh Blaise Atabong in Yaounde

Parliamentarians observing minute of silence

The opening of both houses of parliament on Wednesday, for the third ordinary sessions of the 2014 legislative year was marked by glowing tributes to Cameroonian soldiers who lost their lives in the battle field while fighting to pre-empt deadly incursions by the Nigerian terrorist group – Boko Haram.

The dead soldiers were honoured first with a minute of silence at the Ngoa Ekelle Glass House, while the senate followed at the Yaounde conference centre with the same tribute.

Speaking at the lower house of assembly, the speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguié Djibril lauded the departed soldiers for their bravery in protecting the national integrity of their fatherland. He said the soldiers will forever live to be remembered as patriots who died for the sake of their nation.

For his part, senate president, Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji saluted the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Paul Biya and the military for the successes recorded against Boko Haram militants in the Far North region. While paying homage too to soldiers who have lost their lives in the defense of Cameroon’s territorial integrity and especially in protecting their countrymen in the Far North, Niat sustained that it was thanks to Biya’s recent restructuring of the army and allocation of additional resources that Cameroon is winning the war.
Shortly after the opening ceremony of the budgetary session, several parliamentarians we accosted were of the opinion that the 2015 budget should put defence issues into proper focus. Hon. Lisinge Arthur of Fako said he hopes that the budget they were going to vote will adequately cater for the needs of the army so that they could better defend the frontiers and put a stop to the threats posed by Boko Haram.
Another member of parliament, Hon. Peter Ambang of Ndian II, expressed worries over the damaging effects Boko Haram attacks has on the economy of Cameroon. Like other parliamentarians, he was optimistic that the budget they were going to adopt will make provisions for adequate logistics, purchase of more arms as well as training and re-training for military personnel.