Thursday March 24th, 2022, at the Mountain Hotel in Buea, Southwest Region, close to 50 media/Communication experts and journalists brainstormed on new perspectives in bringing the much-needed reforms in laws governing the media in Cameroon. The project is led by AFRICAphonie, a grassroot Non-Governmental Organization that creates Avenues for institutions and professional groupings to make their voices heard through decent advocacy. The one-day crucial seminar brought together Varsity Dons, Ace Communicators, Journalism Veterans, Practicing Journalists, Legal Professionals and some Journalism Post graduate students, with special focus on examining the current laws and regulations governing media activities in the country.
At the heart of the exchanges, Professor Kingley Lyonga Ngange, Departmental Head of Journalism and Mass Communication of the University of Buea, traced the historical evolution of the laws from the Colonial Era through the 1966 laws, 1987 to 1990 Adjustments and the amendment in 1996. He noted that, the hunger for freedom of speech and multipartyism in the country, early 1990s, heralded the crafting of the Liberty laws, with which is found the Mass Communication Laws. However, they haven’t been able to meet the aspiration of a free, independent and a viable media landscape given the punitive natures of the articles that extend even into the penal code.
The long time University Lecturer took special interest in Sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 74, and 81 that have to do with the censored procedure of Newspaper production, Setting up of Media Structures and criminal sanctions on journalists. According to Professor Ngange, getting this law No 90/052 of 19/12/1990 corrected, media professionals must first know these them in their detail, then unite in purpose and seek a better platform to ensure a freer and more pluralistic Press.
On his part, Veteran Journalist, Publisher of The Rambler Newspaper, Charly Ndi Chia, shared practical experiences with younger colleagues as a journalist of yesteryears with over 30 years of experience, how he overcame the tortures of this current piece of legislature and also encouraged participants to be firm in pushing this agenda to the appropriate quarters for redress.
Other facilitators like Jesse Konang (Civil society actor and media practitioner) and Frankline Sone Bayern (Freelance Investigative Journalist) all accepted that for there to be a smooth flow of information and accessibility, it will be momentous for the media in Cameroon to come under a synergy and mainstream these laws and Access to information through an information act
Participants took rounds in the close to 7 hours intense discourse to discuss other issues that are plaguing the trade, while proposing best solutions and channels for redress
Cameroon has often been on the lamplight for malpractices towards journalists. In a recent outing by the international structure, The Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, Cameroon was ranked 3rd just after Egypt and Eritrea as the worst jailers of Journalists in the continent. The challenge of the new technology has also brought another burden on the shoulders of journalists coupled with the hard economic and political climate under which they function especially in the Restive Anglophone regions of the country. This has made the media in Cameroon, a gullible and daunting profession.
On May 3rd, 2022, these media professionals will join their international peers to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day with special focus on the security of journalists under the theme, “JOURNALISTS UNDER SUIVEILLANCE”.
Ending this seminar, the Executive Director of AFRICAphonie, Mwalimu George Ngwane, hoped that these media stakeholders get into concrete actions and not hold on anymore. The project is in its second phase after the first that held earlier this year in the national capital, Yaoundé.
