Hon. Kumase Simon: “A New Direction for Parliamentary Oversight”

Hon. Kumase Simon, CPDM Member of Parliament for the Santa Constituency, has hailed the opening address of the Speaker of the National Assembly as a landmark speech that provides renewed direction for parliamentary action and oversight. “In fact, let me first of all start by congratulating him as my Speaker, the Speaker of the National Assembly. It was so wonderful. It was good,” Hon. Kumase said, adding that the address stood out from previous opening speeches he had witnessed since joining Parliament. “For the first time since I came to Parliament, Mr Speaker instructed parliamentarians on what to do and what not to do,” he noted. The legislator particularly appreciated the Speaker’s emphasis on strategic sectors of national development, including mining and land management. “The best thing we are talking about here is about the projects of the State, the way he sees the vision of the mining sector and the issue of land in Cameroon,” he said. According to him, the Speaker demonstrated a deep understanding of these critical areas and provided firm guidance on the role parliamentarians should play in advancing national development objectives. Hon. Kumase also welcomed what he described as a strong call for responsibility and accountability within the legislature. “He has ordered parliamentarians to sit upright responsibly, and that is something I have never heard since I came to Parliament,” he stated, describing the message as the beginning of “a new instruction, a new direction in how we are going to engage power.” Reaffirming Parliament’s constitutional oversight mandate, the Santa MP stressed that lawmakers must respond positively to the Speaker’s call. “Our role is to control government action. Definitely, he has instructed us to go into that, and we are going to do that,” he affirmed. For Hon. Kumase Simon, the Speaker’s address has set a clear tone for the Second Ordinary Session of the 2026 Legislative Year, reminding parliamentarians of their responsibility as representatives of the people and their duty to ensure that public action remains aligned with the aspirations of citizens.