The issue of sponsorship fees for access to the Bar in Cameroon is sparking a heated controversy, exacerbated by a proposal from Senator Françoise Puene. Faced with the difficulties encountered by candidates in obtaining sponsorship, a mandatory condition for sitting the entrance examination to the Bar, Françoise Puene has offered to facilitate connections with lawyers willing to sponsor.
This initiative immediately provoked a backlash from the President of the Bar Association, Maître Mbah Eric Mbah, who sees it as interference in the affairs of the profession. According to him, sponsorship is a serious professional commitment and not a political or commercial act. He reiterated that the Bar Association is the guarantor of the integrity of the selection process and the quality of training for future lawyers.
In response, lawyer Christian Bomo Ntimbane called the controversy a "false controversy," arguing that the senator is doing nothing wrong in wanting to help young people. He pointed to the heart of the problem: the exorbitant cost of sponsorships, with some lawyers demanding between 200,000 and 600,000 FCFA, or even more, to grant their sponsorship. These fees, particularly high for media-savvy lawyers, are a major obstacle for candidates from modest backgrounds.
Armand Noutack II also questioned the silence of the President of the Bar Association in the face of these pricing practices. He suggested that Françoise Puene's initiative could threaten the income that some lawyers derive from sponsorships. The question of an official regulation of sponsorship fees is now being raised.
Access to the legal profession in Cameroon is conditional on passing the Lawyer Training Aptitude Test (EASA), followed by a period of training in an approved firm. The issue of sponsorships and their cost is likely to persist until a solution is found to guarantee equal opportunities for all candidates.
