PEACE TALK ON THE OCCASION OF THE WPFD, BAMENDA 27/4/2019

BE THE PEACE WE PREACH!

When I was tasked to present a paper on peace, without any thematic, I even wondered why journalists who are ordinarily propellers of peace, and many of whom have taken lessons on the new concept of Peace journalism at that, should be given a peace talk? One too many, and boring? Deep in me I thought it was of no moment because it may be the same refrain.

But on a fore thought, I reminded myself that in these deciding times, it is imperative for us to decide, to commit, to make a concerted effort to reach out in ever-expanding circles of affinity and embrace. Our society has been fractured and desecrated by the quest for peace. Yes the quest for peace has brought Anglophones to where they now find themselves, and ironically it is the same quest for peace that has put Cameroon, I mean its government at the crossroads. And so you see, Peace can be acceptance as well as refusal, sometimes simultaneously. While the government seems to accept the status quo, the Anglophone community is rejecting it, and simultaneously both entities want peace. What a paradox!

I am not going to bore you with a revision class of all the tenets of Peace Journalism that we have been choked with in our various workshops, talk of drumming on who carries the blame as to where we all find ourselves? Rather, I will prefer that we all open our consciences and judge if we are the peace we preach!

There really is still a chance for peace. But it is ultimately up to us, each one of us, all of us, individually and together, to create the kind of world in which we want to live — to be the change we seek — starting right here, right now. How do we handle issues, I should say differences amongst ourselves, is it the attitude of slow sarcasm intended to hurt? Is it one of cleaning off a banana peeling on a colleague’s pathway so that our practice and professional career can really thrive? Or it is a mind-set of greed and pride even at the cost of the inner peace of a colleague? We all know where we fall, I am simply reflecting, maybe soliloquizing.

Dear colleagues, you know, there really is still a chance for peace and that chance will definitely increase if we each do our piece. So let’s each do our piece and make peace — in our homes, in our own hearts, in our relationships, in our communities, in our Nation in all of our dealings and in the world. Peace be with us all.

Happy World Press Freedom Day, 2019

Mokun Njouny Nelson

Manager Foundation Radio

Vice president CCMN NW/W

Station Managers, Publishers and Bloggers sharpen their skills on content building.

Some Station Managers, publishers and bloggers in the North West Region, have taken part in a one day workshop organized by the Cameroon Community Media Network,  in collaboration with the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ NW Chapter, as part of its activities to mark the 2019 World Press Freedom. 

Opening the workshop, Mrs Rosaline Akah Obah, President of the CCMN NW/W Chapter, welcomed participants, calling on them to stay focus and grab knowledge that will help to develop content, generate revenue and build peace. 

The first presentation that was focused on defining and developing content for media houses, was done by Mr.  Omer Songwe. Here, participants were schooled on knowing the pillars of their media outlets. Stakes, aspiration of the people and the audience before developing their content. 

Mr. Gideon Taka delivered the second presentation focused on content marketing. 

The third module consisted on letting participants acquaint themselves with the Peace Journalism approach in reporting during conflict moments. PJ Rose Obah offered tips on how to cover stories in conflict zones. 

PJ Rose Obah, says reporting on conflict and abuse is complex and that the way facts are revealed often does not provide the level of understanding the situation demands. 

Afterwards, over 50 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the region where handed humanitarian aid worth over a hundred thousand Francs. This aid was make up of the food items and toiletries.

Senior Local Government Officials from Africa, are Reinforcing their Administrative Capacity in Korea

Mayor Dighambong Anthony, Wum Council, one of the participants from Cameroon

 Some 20 participants drawn from four African countries, namely, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ivory Coast and Senegal. The capacity Building program that is organised by the Korean International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, aims at  providing a vision and strategy for the development of participating countries by sharing Korea’s experience in local governance, economic development, regional development, Human Resource Development, etc. It also aims at Assisting African countries in the capacity building of local government officials, through a customized training program that satisfies the specific training needs of the program participants, and finally, the training program aims at  promoting a better understanding and increase friendly relations between Korea and participating countries.

Mayor Dighambong Anthony, Wum Council

The Korea International Cooperation Agency KOICA, was established in 1991 by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a governmental organization for Official Development Assistance (ODA) to enhance the effectiveness of South Korea's grant aid programs for developing countries by implementing the government's grant aid and technical cooperation programs.

Mission

The Korea International Cooperation Agency was founded as a government agency on April 1, 1991, to maximize the effectiveness of South Korea's grant aid programs for developing countries by implementing the government's grant aid and technical cooperation programs. In the past, development cooperation efforts were focused mainly on meeting the basic human needs (BHNs) of developing countries and on fostering their Human Resource Development(HRD). However, the focus has now broadened to promoting sustainable development, strengthening partnerships with developing partners, and enhancing the local ownership of beneficiaries. Additionally, global concerns such as the environment, poverty reduction, and gender mainstreaming, have gained significant importance in the international community.
Due to the continuously changing trends in development assistance efforts and practices, KOICA is striving to adapt to these changes by using its limited financial resources effectively in areas where Korea has a comparative advantage. In particular, Korea has the unique experience of developing from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most economically advanced, as recently demonstrated by South Korea's entry into the OECD DAC (Development Assistance Committee) on November 25, 2009. The know-how and experience Korea gained from this transition are invaluable assets that allow KOICA to efficiently support the sustainable socio-economic development of its partner countries and to offer them hope for a better world.

Local Development: FEICOM launches third edition of award for best Councils’ practices

By *Kathy Neba Sina

Family photograph after the launcing

The National Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance FEICOM has launched  the third  edition of the Award for Councils’ Local Development Best Practices. The event launched this 29th March in Yaounde was chaired by the Minister of of Decentralization and Local Development, George Elanga Obam.

Minister of of Decentralization and Local Development, George Elanga Obam chairing the launching

Participating councils are required to make submissions in five domains of focus which are;.

#Local economic development

# Management of resources

# Management of facilities and infrastructures

# Local governance

# Sustainable Development.

According to the programme, councils have between 29th March -29th May 2019 to make submissions.

An international jury has programmed the entire process in four stages ;

# Receipt of submissions

# Submissions and Document review

# Field evaluation

# Final selection.

A cash prize of CFA 50,000,000 will be awarded to the  overall winner of  councils’ local development Best practices on 23rd August 2019. Aside the National Award, thirteen councils with best practices shall receive cash prizes totaling CFA 100,000,000 .The last edition of the  contest was organised in 2016. The prize was won by The Union of Councils of Mbam and Inoubou Division for its  inter-council governance of “public water supply and basic sanitation in rural areas” innitiative.

The FEICOM National Award was first organised in 2010 with technical support from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN- Habitat.

*This article was first published on www.crtv.cm