Journalists, researchers trained to foster accurate reporting on petroleum sector.

It was organised under the theme: “Contribute to a better understanding of strategic issues in key sector: Energy, hydrocarbons and mining”.

Speaking at the workshop, the President of the RECAPEMH, Joseph Emmanuel Ba’ana, explained that hydrocarbons, energy and mining are subjects of interest to media men and women, which require quality treatment.

He said a new era is opening up in these sectors, hence communication professionals have the social and civic obligation in relaying the right information to the public, through an effective and proactive approach.

“It was important that we organise this workshop for journalists, because they are involved with making information on different topics available to the public, and among these topics is petroleum. The petroleum sector is delicate and to accurately treat its data requires training, so that the journalists can better understand certain key issues, notably the main actors involved and processes,” Ba’ana told the press.

He added that this is to make sure that journalists know how to go about their reports and produce them in a way that the public will better understand, through their explanations.

“I know from experience today that access to the right sources of information in these sectors is not always easy, and in many respects, it is very sensitive. So, by regularly producing articles, reports and other productions, I believe we will succeed in breaking down certain barriers that have been erected in these sectors for many years,” the RECAPEMH president said.

He added that the workshop had as focus the petroleum sector, but in future, other sectors such as the mining and energy sectors will be looked at.

Petroleum value chain

Former senior executive at the Cameroon Petroleum Depot Company popularly known by its French abbreviation SCDP and Senator, Malloum Bra, a panelist at the workshop, edified the participants on how the petroleum sector works. 

“Through my presentation, I reinforced their knowledge on the downstream and upstream value chain of this product. While downstream focuses on how this product enters our country, storage, through the filling stations and right up to the final consumers, upstream has to do with prospection of crude oil, research, exploration and refining,” the senator said.

He added that the training is particularly important for journalists because although they are charged with informing the public about this sector, most of them do not know how the sector works.

Enter participants

Participants at the workshop expressed gratitude to the network for equipping them with ample information on the petroleum sector.

Economy desk reporter and journalist at Cameroon Tribune, Michel Fogang, pointed out that with the training, she now has a better understanding of the sector, which is useful for her future reports.

“As a journalist, this training enlightened us on the different stages and actors involved in the petroleum sector, what the country does to transform its crude oil to different consumable forms for personal, household and industrial use like diesel, gas and others. Now we know where and to whom to go to for the right information,” Michel said.

She added that they were also trained on the reasons for price regulations, fluctuations, subventions and how it affects purchases.

Meanwhile, researcher at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC, Isabelle Njoya, for her part, said the workshop was particular in that it was the first time a group of professionals were brought together to be trained on the petroleum sector, which is known to be closed.

“As a researcher on energy cooperation in Cameroon, the training equipped me with a lot of insight on some information that I already had but did not understand, as well as additional information relating to my field of study, and where I can now go to for the right information. We also had the chance to learn of the geopolitical stakes of this sector, and why its information and data are most often not made public,” Njoya said. 

The participants also highlighted the timeliness and importance of the network as it provides a platform armed with numbers that can be used for advocacy, which, according to the RECAPEMH president, is the raison d'être for the creation of the network.

This story first published in The Guardian Post issue No3130 of Monday June 02, 2024