Deliberations to elevate deserving personnel of the Penitentiary Corps, have rounded off at the Ministry of Justice in Yaoundé. The 13^th working session, the last as far as this year’s exercise is concerned, was presided over by the Secretary of State in charge of Penitentiary Administration, DOH Jerome PENBAGA, representative of the Minister of State, Minister of Justice, Keeper of Seals, Laurent ESSO. The said Joint Administrative Board held on Tuesday 20 August 2024. According to Decree No. 2010/365 of 29 November 2010 on the special status of penitentiary personnel, the Board meets in session every year to review personnel’s career profiles in view of promotion. The sessions have so far seen over 4000 career profiles examined. The Board made sure it gave equal chances to every potential beneficiary of the corps. At the 13^th session, and in conformity with Articles 111 to 137 of the aforementioned Decree, 1,269 personnel of all grades and categories stood the chance of being promoted to higher grades. « You have been convened to this important meeting to make pertinent and professional decisions out of dossiers that would be submitted to you. Why I serving the secrecy of deliberations, ensure that the different candidates fulfill statutory promotional requirements, notably, longevity in grade, qualification based on performance reports and professional career, and finally, age, the priority being the oldest candidate, » Minister DOH Jerome PENBAGA instructed in his opening speech. The Minister further exhorted Board Members to work in a « transparent manner, carefully comply with the provisions relating to grade promotions by choice, and if necessary, in order to determine the exact state of each candidate, approach their hierarchies, to be able to eliminate those who are dead, dismissed, sanctioned, or on secondment, who may compromise the credibility of such a task subject to the signature of the Keeper of Seals ».