World Press Freedom Day: NW Media takes relief items to Internally Displaced Persons IDPs in Bamenda

By Ngenwie Seraphine

The Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists CAMASEJ NW has led a group of journalists and media professionals in a humanitarian action with some relief items to some internally displaced persons IDPs in Bamenda.

The Friday April 26 humanitarian action took CAMASEJ NW and other partner media structures like the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union CJTU NW chapter, the Cameroon Community Media Net Work NW/W chapter and the Cameroon Association of Sports Journalists CASJ to the Ntamulung neighbourhood where over 50 IDPs assembled to receive food items and toiletries.

Speaking ahead of the handing over of the items, Ambe MacMillan Awa explained that no one even journalists could remain indifferent to the challenges faced by IDPs as a result of the on-going armed conflict in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. Mindful of the fact that they have moved out of their comfort zones, Ambe needed life cannot be the same reason why he thought that as part of activities to mark World Press Freedom Day it was imperative to shine the light on these challenges so others can continue to assist them while those responsible for solving the conflict do their part. 

A representative of the IDPs will thank the journalists and media professionals for the assistance before disclosing that those of them who came to receive the items are from Weh, Wum, Bafut, Nso, Batibo, Kom and other parts of the NW region. She described the donation as timely. 

Addressing his colleagues just shortly after the donation, CAMASEJ NW President thanked them for chipping in their support to ensure the effective realisation of the visit to IDPs. “It wouldn’t have been possible without you all on board. Thank you all for your unflinching cooperation and collaboration. Words can’t express how I feel inside and I thank God to have made it possible for me to be a servant to this noble, humble colleagues with humane feelings. God will replenish the source bountifully.”  He said. 

In the last two years since what has been styled the Anglophone crisis turned into an armed conflict, humanitarian need has been on the rise as a result displacement caused by the torching of homes and gun battles. 

Though government has announced that over 75000 families have received her humanitarian aid, rights groups and humanitarian organisations say hundreds of thousands are still in need of assistance.