Artists protesting
Cameroon artists have taken their protest over unpaid royalties to Prime Minister’s office, after initial grievances tabled at the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of arts and culture yielded no fruits.
A group of Cameroon artists staged a protest on the morning of Wednesday, April 2, in front of the Prime Minister’s office, demanding the release of 850 million FCFA royalties due to them.
According to reports, the artist are accusing CRTV of withholding their money despite clear directives from the presidency to disburse their due royalties. The protest they held resulted from frustration of multiple unsuccessful negotiations with the Ministry of Communication, prompting them to seek higher government intervention. They are now calling on the Prime Minister to resolve the issue and ensure the funds are paid.
In response to their demonstration, the Prime Minister has called for an urgent meeting with representatives of the artists and officials from the Ministry of Arts and Culture to discuss possible solutions. The outcome of this meeting could be essential in addressing the artists’ grievances and bringing a resolution to the ongoing dispute.
It should be recalled that the protest over the 850 million FCFA dates back to at least February 2024, when the Secretary-General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, instructed CRTV’s Director-General, Charles Ndongo, to transfer this amount to a designated account at the Commercial Bank of Cameroon (CBC) for the payment of artists’ royalties. A directive that was seen as a response to longstanding grievances from artists regarding unpaid royalties for their works used by the state broadcaster
