Francophone SDO shuts down private radio station in Bamenda ⁰

The Francophone Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam in the North West Region, Songa Pierre accompanied by his close collaborators sealed the doors of a Bamenda based popular radio station, Hot Cocoa FM 94.0. The seal which took place around 4: 30PM on Tuesday the 10^th of January 2017 indicated that the decision is a temporal suspension of the radio from going on air due to what they described as unethical practice in the morning program called the ‘Biggest Breakfast Show’ BBS anchored by Kiven Brenda and Mbaku Jude.

According to the regional order brandished on the seal letter, the interactive program has been helping to fuel the existing crisis in Bamenda. The Presenters revealed that they received several calls from anonymous callers after last Fridays edition threatening that the station will be closed down. The program did not go on air on Monday and Tuesday. At the time of closure the Pidgin News presented by Peter Tebid Chai was going on. Technicians and Journalists were asked to move out before the seal.

The Station Manager Gideon Taka, who recently took over from Omar Songwe, has reported the matter to the President of the National Communication Council, Peter Essoka. However journalists of Hot Cocoa Radio who also work for Horizon Television which shares the same building with the Radio have been going in and out of the premises since Horizon television was not sealed.

Cameroun Info.Net