“The State Is Working To Give The Council Full Authority”

Joseph Chebonkeng Kalabubse, President of the National Communication Council (NCC).

What is your plan of action as the head of the National Communication Council?
First is the administrative function which is a daily one. But, I have met a Communication Council which is lacking in so many things. The infrastructure which houses the Council is grossly insufficient. For that reason, we have not been able to have the organisational chart put in place as it is supposed to be. We intend to work towards changing the site with the administration concerned, and why not try to build a structure for the Council. Another thing which is in the pipeline will be to sensitize, educate and help publishers and editors-in-chief, so that they will intend go to their news rooms and try to help out. We intend to work with other stakeholders in the social media, so that they too can be able to carry out their own functions at their different levels. That way, together, we will be able to have a more responsible media landscape in Cameroon. I know that it is very difficult on the social media because we are dealing with citizen journalism. But we have bloggers we can reach out to. I think with that we will be able to improve upon the Communication landscape. 
How do you intend to ensure that decisions taken by the Council are respected to the latter?
It is not us. We take decisions and there are State institutions that help in the implementation of these decisions. What we do at our level is to ensure that these decisions are taken according to the laws in force, and we hand them over to the organs that are charged with executing decisions of the National Communication Council. The government has been very supportive. The Prime Minister did make mention recently that Government institutions will ensure that decisions taken by the National Communication Council are applied to the latter.
Can you not initiate a reform which gives the Council full authority to take decisions and to apply them?
There is something in the pipeline in that direction, but it has not come to fruition yet. The State is working on something that will give the Council full authority and I think that the earlier it comes, the better for us.
Looking at the functioning texts of the Council, one may have the impression that it does not have full right to adequately regulate the media. What can be done to amend this situation?
The council has full rights. The law authorizes the Council, if not we will not sanction. The point about the sanction is its application and respectability and that is over to administrative and judicial authorities in the country. I think that with the promises we have rec...

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