The Prime Minister and head of Government, Philemon Yang a few days ago published a commission to look into the grievances tabled by the Common Law Lawyers. The commission is supposed to sit on Tuesday 27th December. However, the North West Lawyers association in an executive meeting on Saturday 24th December rubbished the PM commission for flooding the commission with Francophones as well as sidelining the South West Lawyers. The North West Lawyers frowned at the deliberate attempt to divide Southern Cameroonians. They also chastised the PM for including a husband and Wife into the commission, and worst still, the said couples had publicly in the media denounced the complaints of the Common Law Lawyers. Based on these complaints amongst others, the North West Lawyers Association is refusing to honour any invitation. They are hence calling on the consortium to entertain this position on the Monday 26th emergency meeting… read the statement herein

North West Lawyers Association (NOWELA) Executives sat this Saturday 24-12-2016 and resolved thus: Mindful of the commission created by the Prime Minister and members therein, the Exco observes as follows:

1)The composition of the commission is not balanced, that there are many Francophones than Anglophones in the commission. That some Anglophone lawyers such as Manka Rosaline and Amaazee Amah Anthony who happens to be husband and wife, do not share in the same plight of the Common law lawyers as they had taken their stand against the course which was presented to the media.

2) That the commission has left out some instrumental leaders from the South West Region namely Barrister BALLA Nkongho and Barrister EYAMBE as well as our Bar Council representative from the South West Region which is a deliberate act of the government to divide us.

3) That notwithstanding, it is with regret that till date, the government has not made any official statement condemning the acts of brutality on lawyers carried out by the forces of law and order including the confiscation of their wigs and gowns and the violation of lawyers offices. Such condemnations should precede any dialogue if the government is sincere for meaningful dialogue and lasting solutions to all the issues raised.

4) Yaounde is not an appropriate venue for the holding of such meeting. That the commission should must hold in BAMENDA or BUEA.

5) From the above, the EXCO recommends that these issues must be addressed to warrant our attendance.

6) we have also resolved that the BIG 4 together with the other members in one document should issue a communiqué to the fact that until the above issues are sorted out, we can’t be a party to any meeting of the PM’s commission.

7) The EXCO also recommends that the consortium should urgently meet on Monday 26/12/2016 and take a position on these recent developments.

VP Barrister Umenjoh Hiram