(Business in Cameroon) - The Ministry of Environment (Minepded) recently published a note revealing that the environmental penalties currently owed by operators in the field, in the framework of the polluter pay principle, is XAF3 billion.

It adds that due to the difficulties encountered in the recovery of the penalties, it has requested the support of the Ministry of Finance (through the Directorate General of taxes) to proceed to a forced collection.

The Minepded explains that in the long run, it will collaborate with the Ministry of Finance for the insertion of provisions aimed at improving the collection of the penalties into the finance law, for the creation of a Ministry of Finance-Minepded exchange platform, and the collection of unpaid penalties.

In 2019, the Minepded collected XAF438 million of environmental penalties and XAF804 million in 2020. Nevertheless, the Ministry intends to boost its earnings by entering additional niches like fees for the exploitation of genetic sources ((plant/animal/microbial source materials).

S.A