Yaounde (Mfoundi) — One of the provisions of the 2003 Yaounde International Ministerial Conference on Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (AFLEG), harps on the important role of independent monitoring of bushmeat trade alongside proper investigation. This is important because the stipulated offences of the 1994 wildlife law cannot be proven before any law court without pure investigation to establish that the case is valid.

Despite the difficulties involved in monitoring wildlife law offenders, the Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA) has been experimenting on monitoring in the wildlife sector by combining wildlife law enforcement with pure field investigation since the adoption of the AFLEG Declaration. Lending credence to this claim, Ofir Drori, the LAGA Director, speaking to the press after a recent audience with Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni said, "What we are doing is not only law enforcement but also independent monitoring, getting all wildlife cases sent to court published through the media." He explained that the Website of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF), now carries these cases.

It should be recalled that since 2003, MINFOF launched a nation-wide operation aimed at the effective implimentation of the 1994 wildlife law by bringing offenders to justice. Since its launching, over 40 wildlife crimes have been brought before the courts in the West, Centre and Littoral Provinces. The most recent was the seizure of two live chimpanzees, three unlicensed monkeys and different protected animal products from a hotel in Bafang (West Province). The West Provincial Delegate for Forest and Wildlife, Mrs Grace Mbah (in a press release issued after the operation) states that the manager of the hotel has been arrested and a case file opened against him in a court in Bafoussam.

Worth noting is that the 1994 wildlife law is severe, as it provides for serious prison sentences and fines. The operation has also been receiving the strong support of the Ministry of Justice, the General Delegation of National Security, LAGA, the Limbe Wildlife Centre and the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF).

The latest operation came shortly after a meeting of the Prime Minister and Head of Government, Chief Ephraim Inoni and LAGA officials led by its Director, Ofir Drori. During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on the aims and objectives of LAGA, its achievements and the way forward. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of LAGA in the effective application of the wildlife law and encouraged the existing collaboration among the government Ministries concerned in the nation-wide wildlife law enforcement process.