At 48th Ordinary Session: National Communication Council cracks down on media misconduct.

The session held in Yaounde on Wednesday, December 10.

A total of 21 complaints were examined, resulting in a wave of disciplinary decisions targeting print, broadcast and online media practitioners. 

Per a release issued at the end of the session, a major case involved the Director General of the Douala Port Authority, Ngo’o Cyrus, against the newspaper, Première Heure and its journalist, Serge Ateba.

Ngo’o had seized the NCC over what he described as unfounded allegations damaging to his reputation. After review, the NCC found the media outlet guilty of insufficient investigation and dissemination of misinformation, and issued a formal warning to the Publisher of Première Heure and suspended journalist Serge Ateba for two months.

In a separate ruling, a complaint from the Cameroon Judo Federation, FECAJUDO, against Vision 4 Television and journalist Anette Keysha Ikono was examined. The federation filed a complaint against the media house for broadcasting a private phone conversation without the complainant’s consent. 

NCC considered the act a breach of ethical and professional obligations and accordingly issued a formal warning to the journalist.

Member of Parliament, Hon Manfouo David, also petitioned the Council against the newspaper Climat Social and its publisher, Mbombog Mbog Matip, for publishing baseless accusations concerning a land acquisition dispute in Bekoko-Babenga. 

After the publisher repeatedly failed to heed NCC summonses, the Council handed him a two-month suspension from all journalism-related activities.

Another case involved the daily, Le Jour and its Publisher Haman Mana, following the publication of a headline deemed unfounded and suggestive regarding the October 12 presidential election. The NCC, citing the need for additional information, postponed deliberations to a later session.

Minister of Public Works Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi appeared as complainant in three separate cases involving ‘L’Indépendant Économie’, ‘Le Reporter Hebdo’, and ‘L’Émissaire’. 

L’Indépendant Économie received a formal warning, while its journalist, Ndzana Arsène, was suspended for one month. The case involving Le Reporter Hebdo was postponed due to the publisher’s medical incapacity.

The matter relating to ‘L’Émissaire’ was also postponed as the NCC struggled to locate the publication’s official address.

The NCC also examined complaints against Equinoxe TV journalist, Otou Etoundi Serge Alain, for remarks made during the November 10 edition of “Equinoxe Soir”, which allegedly challenged the Constitutional Council’s ruling on the 2025 presidential election results. 

After hearing his defence, the NCC dropped all charges, acknowledging that he had later corrected the record and cautioned his panellists.

The NCC also reprimanded 13 audio-visual media outlets, including the national Broadcaster, CRTV, STV, Canal 2 International, Vision 4, Equinoxe TV, and My Media Prime, for broadcasting political programmes during the campaign period leading to the regional councillor elections of November 30.

The NCC boss reminded the entire media landscape of the obligation to comply strictly with regulatory guidelines during elections and treatment of information, or risk severe sanctions.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3653 of Friday December 12, 2025