The Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Fako, Viang Mekala, has formally cautioned the management of Eden Radio Station (FM 98.1) over concerns of persistent negative coverage targeting the Limbe City Council and its Mayor.
In a letter addressed to the Director General of Eden Radio, the SDO revealed that intelligence reports had flagged the station’s programming as consistently critical of the City Mayor and council activities. The SDO expressed concerns that some broadcasts allegedly incited business owners to resist compliance with communal tax regulations.
“Your programs, for the most part, go as far as inciting traders into tax incivility and rebellion towards Communal Tax Recovery Agents,” the letter reads.
Right to Inform and Educate
Despite these claims, the SDO clarified that the radio station retains the right to inform, sensitise, and educate the public or offer constructive criticism. However, he cautioned that these efforts should not be aimed at specific authorities or institutions, as such actions could be seen as politically motivated and could lead to social unrest.
“We do not have any ambition to prevent you from playing your role of informing, sensitising, and educating your audience,” Mekala stated. He urged the radio station to maintain a neutral stance and return to the professional ethics expected of media practitioners.
Call for Objectivity
The SDO emphasized the need for objectivity, urging Eden Radio to avoid programming that could serve personal interests or settle political scores. He hinted that failure to comply with these recommendations could result in stricter regulatory measures.
“Hoping to see a return to rationality and a sense of general interest,” the SDO concluded, expressing his desire for responsible journalism moving forward.
Background and Context
The caution comes on the heels of repeated advocacy by Eden Radio over one of its popular programmes, Nation Building with Raymond Njikang, which seeks to improve the lives of Limbe residents by holding stakeholders, including the council, accountable.
The widely listened-to programme, featuring panelists from around the city, has recently been a source of concern for municipal and civil administrators.
