Right To Public Information : Civil Society, Stakeholders Present Draft Law

The Network for Solidarity, Empowerment and Transformation for All, NewSETA, on June 20, 2025 in Yaounde presented a draft Access To Information Law stakeholders have been working on in the past months. Speaking at the event, Denis Omgba, a director in the Ministry of Communication, said the draft law had the full backing of government. Because the ministry has been involved in the process all through. 

Similar Draft Bill By MINCOM
“The Ministry of Communication, MINCOM, is also working on an Access To Information Draft Bill, which has already been forwarded to the Minister of Communication for consideration. The proposal by NewSETA is therefore welcome because the Ministry of Communication would like to receive inputs from the civil society,” Denis Ombga noted. “Technology is evolving fast, and has changed the manner of gathering news,” Ombga reminded journalists.

Crucial Year For Cameroon
He commended the presence at the event of Denis Alain Mbezelle, the Communication Officer of the National Communication Council, NCC. “The NCC’s work is not censorship, but to regulate media activities,” Denis Ombga stressed. “This year is very crucial for Cameroon because of the presidential elections, during which journalists are expected to play a great role – thus the need for access to the right information to avoid disorder before, during and after elections,” he explained. 

Professionalism Emphasised 
“It is important to have a law that guarantees access to information, but journalists must always do their work professionally by contacting their sources, despite the challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence, AI. Always go for sources and crosscheck your information before publishing,” Ombga counselled journalists. 
“The inputs from stakeholders at the presentation will help us to put in place a consolidated access to information law. I will forward the resolutions from the meeting to the Minister of Communication,” Denis Ombga promised. 

The Law
Ateki Seta, NewSETA Executive Director, said the Draft Law on Access To Information has six parts. These are the preamble, the objectives of the law, the principles within which the law is construed, the right to access information in Cameroon, who can access information in Cameroon… The law harmonizes the manner in which requests for accessing information are made. 

The Survey 
The study that produced the draft Ac...