Yaoundé: Parliament opens session with focus on 2027 budget ⁰

Cameroon’s National Assembly opened its Second Ordinary Session for the 2026 Legislative Year with a call for stronger oversight of the mining sector, reforms to land governance and preparations for key budget discussions that will shape public spending priorities for 2027.

Opening the session in Yaounde on June 9, Speaker of the National Assembly, the Rt. Hon. Theodore Datouo, said Parliament must respond to growing public concerns over the cost of living, youth unemployment, access to basic services and the management of strategic national resources.

The opening session came at a time when lawmakers are preparing for the annual Budget Policy Debate, a process that will help determine government spending priorities for the next financial year. The Rt. Hon. Datouo said the exercise would allow legislators to influence policy choices before budget allocations are finalised.

The Speaker used the occasion to identify mining governance and land tenure as two areas requiring particular attention, arguing that both sectors have direct implications for economic development, investment confidence, public revenue and social stability.

Mining sector under scrutiny

The Rt. Hon. Datouo noted that Cameroon’s mineral wealth represents a significant opportunity for economic transformation, job creation and infrastructure development. However, he said growing public debate surrounding mining revenues and the distribution of benefits has raised important questions for policymakers.

“The sector ministries and government officials must redouble efforts to improve transparency, oversight effectiveness, revenue traceability, and fair redistribution of economic benefits to local population. For its part, Parliament must continue to accomplish its task of legislating and Government oversight,” the Rt. Hon. Datouo said.

He added that discussions surrounding revenues generated from mineral exploitation, as well as mechanisms for collecting and redistributing those revenues, had become increasingly prominent.

“The time has surely come to brainstorm on the reforms needed to enable our country to derive greater benefits from its mining resources, while ensuring that the interests of the communities concerned are more effectively taken into account,” he stated.

The remarks place mining governance at the centre of parliamentary deliberations during a period when resource extraction is increasingly viewed as a potential driver of economic diversification and public revenue generation.

The Speaker also focused on land administration, describing secure land ownership as a key element of legal certainty and economic activity. According to Datouo, recurring land disputes, lengthy administrative procedures and competing ownership claims have contributed to concerns among citizens and investors alike.

“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 said.

He acknowledged efforts already undertaken by public authorities to modernise land governance and called for those initiatives to continue in order to strengthen confidence in property rights and administrative processes.

Budget debate to shape 2027 priorities

Beyond sector-specific concerns, Datouo stressed the importance of the forthcoming Budget Policy Debate. He explained that the debate would focus on identifying national priorities before expenditure figures are established, allowing lawmakers to weigh competing demands against available resources.

“The deliberations we shall hold in this Chamber will help in shaping the State Budget for the year 2027. It is my earnest wish that our deliberations would be conducted in a spirit of responsibility, rigour and constant pursuit of the general interest,” he said.

The Speaker added that the process promotes anticipation, transparency and improved public decision-making while enabling legislators to relay concerns raised by constituents.

Following the session, Social Democratic Front Chairman and Member of Parliament Joshua Osih welcomed the emphasis on evaluating public policies and measuring the impact of government expenditure.

The June session is expected to focus on legislative work, government oversight and budget policy discussions, with mining governance, land reform and public accountability emerging among the key issues likely to shape parliamentary debates in the weeks ahead.

Source: Business in Cameroon