At media conference in Buea: CIDI tasks to front creation of umbrella platform for Anglophone journalists.

The idea was birthed during deliberations at a media conference CIDI of veteran journalist Victor Epie'Ngome, organised in Buea, last May 8. The idea, it was explained, is not to dissolve any association but to come up with a platform that can speak with one voice for all the associations. 

The confab which centered around building a new image for the media in the country, was under the patronage of the National Communication Council, NCC.

It brought together over 30 journalists drawn from different media organs in the country. 

The conference also zoomed on media response to the underreporting of the ongoing conflict in the North West and South West Regions with focus on tackling fake news. Media coverage agenda for the 2025 elections in the country were also discussed. 

According to information shared to this reporter by journalist Sone Bayen, series of resolutions were adopted after deliberations at the media conference. One of the resolutions, he told The Guardian Post, was to seek ways of pulling together the different media associations and organisations under an umbrella platform. 

The Media Conference mandated a group of veteran journalists (Journalists-emeritus Panel), including Victor Epie'Ngome, Wain Paul Ngam, Martin Nkemngu, Tricia Oben, Shifu Ngala, Gemnda Buinda, Charlie Ndi Chia, to bring together leaders of media associations to chart the way forward for the media industry. 

The Executive Director of CIDI, Victor Epie'Ngome, was mandated to invite leaders of the different associations within a month. He is to be assisted in the role by a Technical Committee comprising; Scholar Maloke, Bouddih Adams, Franklin Sone Bayen, Dr Eileen Manka'a Tabuwe, Dr Lizzie Nengieh, Dr Olive Ejang, Kini Nsom, Randy Joe Sa'ah and Wasso Norbert.

The Media Conference also set up an Election Coverage Taskforce to monitor, report, edit and present quality election coverage before, during and after the polls. Ace journalist, Charlie Ndi Chia, was mandated to convene a meeting of its volunteers at the end of the confab. 

Speaking at the opening of the confab, NCC president, Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubse, stressed on how journalists should report, before, during and after elections. 

He also urged the members of the journalists associations to remember their role as gatekeepers and the need to uphold professionalism at all times.

The Executive Director, Victor Epie'Ngome, on his part, called on journalists to be objective in their reporting during this election period.

Outstanding journalists awarded 

The media conference rounded up with the maiden edition of the Media Probity Award. Some outstanding journalists were rewarded for their reports on the anglophone crisis.

The recognitions followed assessments made by a panel of judges, elected during the first media conference. The panel comprised;Victor Epie'Ngome, Wain Paul Ngam, Franklin Sone Bayen, Kini Nsom, Gemnda Buinda, Randy Joe Sa'ah and Tricia Oben.

Journalist Nalova Akua of Cameroon Insider won the first prize his article titled: “Cameroon Media Martyrs: The Intersection of Journalism and Activism” published on Aljazeera while Rev. Dr. Barrister Maurice Welabi who is Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Limbe-based Eternity Gospel Radio was awarded for his editorial on the role the church should play in the Anglophone crisis.

Also, journalist Kindo Louvier who doubles as Publisher of online news site, News Up Front, was also recognised his article titled: “Cameroon's Disappeared, later Found Dead” published on the Mail and Guardian while Buea-based freelance journalist, Boris Essono, was also awarded.