New President of Cameroon Lawyers to instill transparency and accountability

A legal luminary in the republic of Cameroon, barrister Eta Besong Junior, has been elected president of the country’s Bar Council, with a mandate to shakeup the law profession.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

Eta Besong Junior defeated challenger Henri Job to become the next Bar Council president after Charles Tchoungang, while Tiakouang Meli also defeated Peter Asongwe to become the president of the general assembly of the Bar Association
“My mandate is placed under the banner of change,” said Eta, shortly after the proclamation of results on Sunday.
While expressing his desire and willingness to bring about a much needed change in the club of lawyers, the new bar president told reporters, “I am not saying that my predecessors did nothing good, but we need to ameliorate the situation of lawyers, consider their rapport with clients, the society and the supervisory ministry. In short we need to give the Bar Association the image it deserves,”

Announcing priorities for his stewardship and how he would go about them, Eta Besong said he would do everything to restore transparency in management of the order’s accounts, ensure discipline by members in the exercise of their noble profession and above all convince the dissident rainbow coalition and their followers to join him in building a strong and vibrant association.
Asked if he would probe into the management of the last executive, Eta Besong said he needed first of all to get the report of the audit committee set up to study the management files of the former bureau.
About his relations with the former president, Charles Tchoungang, Eta Besong Junior said he and his predecessor were rivals before the elections but that Tchoungang after throwing in the towel called and wished him well.
Over 800 of the 1400 registered members of the Cameroon Bar participated in the elections.