Social security of old people in question: cross analysis of the legal framework and public policy for the support of old people in Cameroon since independence

Marcel Nkoma, Ministère de l'Economie, de la Planification et de l'Aménagement du Territoire (MINEPAT)

Aged people in Cameroon (60 years and more) represent 5.5% of the country’s population. The present social security system covers just 10% of the total population and less than 15% of workers are solely interested in workers of the formal, public and private sector. The main aim of this article is to evaluate and analyse actions in favour of aged people in the present social security system. Taking into consideration data from the last General Census of the Cameroon Population, it is proven that with time, the social security policy towards old people shall cause huge problems of continuity and solvency. More than 2/3 of the aged population of Cameroon neither benefit from social security nor from retirement pension. The Cameroonian society is more and more urged to take care of the ageing population without any global system of official social assistance, nor an efficient traditional aid system.