Monday 26 October 2015

Afrique Media saga:




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Peter Essoka
Peter Essoka warns Issa
Tchiroma to steer clear of NCC
- Says IssaTchiroma cannot give him instructions because he is not his boss

The vice president of the National Communication Council, Veteran journalist Peter Essoka has refused to execute an instruction from the Minister of Communication ordering him to lift the suspension he slammed on the Pan-African TV Channel, Afrique Media.
                In a letter addressed to the MINCOM, Peter Essoka reminded IssaTchiroma that the CNC is not placed under the supervisory authority of the MINCOM and for that reason the MINCOM hasn’t the quality or competence to give instructions to the CNC on any issue.
                Peter Essoka’s missive to IssaTchiroma was in response to an earlier letter addressed to the former by the latter urging the former to lift his suspension of Afrique Media.
                IssaTchiroma in the letter reminded Peter Essoka that the one-month suspension period had since elapsed and besides, authorities of Afrique Media have signed an undertaking with the MINCOM to « toe the line » and to respect all republican laws on social communication in Cameroon.

                But Peter Essoka has held his grounds that he will not condone the abuse of power by IssaTchiroma. He argues that it is not within IssaTchiroma’s competence to regulate the press in Cameroon.
                According to Essoka, by interfering in the exclusive domain of the CNC the MINCOM is acting ultra vires.
                When asked to react to Peter Essoka’s determined stance, IssaTchiroma said: « I don’t have any problem with Mr. Peter Essoka. I simply asked him to lift the suspension on Afrique Media and I think the organic texts creating the Ministry of Communication give me the right to do so. »
                Tchiroma said he took the decision after authorities of Afrique Media wrote to him complaining that the CNC has still not removed the seals on its doors in spite of the fact that the one-month suspension deadline has since elapsed.               
                “The objective for sanctions is not to penalize defaulters but to correct them. I see no reason therefore why the TV channel should still be shut down after having served the suspension,” Tchiroma said.
                It should be recalled that the CNC on 7 August 2015 took a decision suspending Afrique Media for a period of one month with effect from the day of notification of the decision.              

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