Retiree journalists compete with graduates over jobs

The popular dictum “retired but not tired,” is being witnessed in Bamenda as retired journalists of the Cameroon Radio and Television, CRTV, invade private media houses in the city taking jobs that fresh journalism graduates believe are theirs.

Besides private radio and television houses, some of the CRTV retired journalists are lecturers in higher educational institutions in the region. Some are in active politics while others graduated from catechism school, all in a bid to retain food on their tables.

The Cameroon Journal found out for example, that Charles Sama works at NDEFCAM radio Bamenda with another colleague, Christopher Ndikum as station manager. Lucas Nguh is station manager of newly launched Sky Sports Community Radio Bamenda.

Ngetikum Musi, is station manager of Abakwa FM radio working together with another colleague, Grace Che, while Ngobesing Suh Romanus who recently graduated from a Bamenda-based catechist school is now station manager of Radio Evangelium, a Catholic station.

Other retired CRTV journalists like Philip Bawe and Ephraim Banda Ghogomo joined the staff strength of National Polytechnic Bamenda, NPB just like Gideon Taka who is now lecturer at HIBUMS, one of the higher educational institutions in Bamenda.

Besides picking up jobs in radio and television houses or schools, some have embraced politics as their new-found profession. This is the case of Anembom Munju who holds an executive position of national communication officer with the Social Democratic Front, SDF party.

Grace Che is also North West SDF communication officer. Che also works at Abakwa FM radio. Jobless graduates from schools of journalism do not seem to be comfortable with the developments.

North West region, as of February 2015, has a total of 33 private community radios given that all 7 divisions of the region with the exception of Menchum, hosts at least one or more radio and TV stations.

The problem with fresh graduates is that most of them prefer to work in private radio and television houses in the region’s headquarters, Bamenda where the competition is very high and they certainly do not have the celebrity status of these veterans.