National Communication Council Bans Newspapers

After several warnings, the Council has prohibited Aurore and Aurore Plus for repeatedly publishing offensive accusations against people.

It all started last year when “Aurore” newspaper and its publisher, Michel Michaut Moussala were summoned by the National Communication Council (NCC) with regard to a complaint from the former Director-General of Camair-Co, Paul Nana Sandjo. Information culled from NCC reveals that the newspaper had published unsubstantiated, offensive and incriminating accusations against Paul Nana Sandjo and constantly defied NCC’s decisions.

Aurore newspaper and its publisher ignored three summonses from NCC and went on functioning. After the third time, NCC in March 2016, held an extraordinary session in compliance with the provisions of Decree No 2012/38 of 23 January 2015 reorganising the National Communication Council and decided to suspend the newspaper and its publisher for three months. Also, two journalists working for Aurore were suspended for six months.

The suspension decision from NCC to Aurore was again ignored as Mr Michaut Moussala and his team continued to carry out their publication. Although the Governor of the Littoral Region had ordered the doors of Aurore to be sealed, two weeks later, a source from NCC revealed that Michel Michaut Moussala and his team were still operating from the same office with the seal removed from the door.

When asked, Michel Michaut Moussala said it was a mental patie...