Senatorial Elections: Don't Allow Politicians Use You Like Toilet Paper-NCC Boss

National Communication Council From Yaounde And Journalists In The North West Region

By Raymond Dingana

The President of the National Communication Council (NCC) has enjoined journalists in the North West Region of Cameroon not to allow themselves to be used like toilet paper by politicians.

Joe Chebonkeng Kalabubse said journalists allowing themselves to be used by politicians will only find themselves in a trash cane after they must have been dumped there by thesame politicians who used them as intruments.

He made the declaration in Bamenda Friday March 3,2023 during a working visit aimed at sensitizing the press ahead of the March 12 Senatorial Elections.

If  journalists allow politician s to use them like a tolilet paper,you know what it means,they will throw you away when they have had what they want from you just as you throw away a toilet paper after you have used it.

He said and comtinued that,

A journalist is supposed to be a responsible man or woman,you cover the event as it is supposed to be,reporting just what you have seen and heard and filtering it using professional canons, you will still remain relevant in the eyes of the same politician even when the elections are over.

During a chat with reporters in the region, one of the members of the National Communication Council, Prof.Keugong Rolande Esp.Watcho briefed journalists on the Dos and Don'ts of election coverage.

She said Journalists should avoid publishing early result trends if they are not coming from Cameroon's Elections Management Body, Elections Cameroon,ELECAM.

She also invited media men and women to be honest and fair,two roles she said are generally accepted conditions of communication. 

For journalists directly involved in the campaigns of political parties, Prof.Keugong drawing inspiration from a book known as The Hand Book For Journalists During Elections explained that,

The journalists shall in the exercise of their functions refrain from appearing on screen, to speak on radio or feature in the jingle of a programme for the duration of the campaign until the end of the election.

According to the Hand Book For Journalists During Elections that was distributed to journalists, the prohibition which is shall objectively be extended to private audio visual organs is based on the need to ensure a transparent poll.

Those that have allocated air space for political propaganda were called opon to exercise fairness,impartiality by ensuring that all political parties have equal time on air to communicate to potential voters.

Journalists are therefore expected to use the Hand Book For Journalists During Elections to guide them as they prepare to cover the Senatorial Elections for 12 of March 2023.