At the opening of the 23rd, 24th and 25th ordinary sessions of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the Allocation of Radio Frequency Bands (Ciabaf) on 23 November in Yaounde, the Minister in charge of Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng (photo), gave an overview of the sector in the run-up to the African Championship of Nations (CHAN), organised by Cameroon in early 2021.

"With regard particularly to the sanitation of the use of the FM band in Cameroon, the report of the Task Force in charge of this activity highlights many irregularities in the use of frequencies of the FM band, close to the aeronautical band, especially in the cities of Yaounde and Douala, by broadcasting operators who very often have provisional authorisations to use the frequencies issued by the Ministry of Communication," said the member of government, who is also president of Ciabaf.

According to her, it has become an open secret that the use made of frequencies in the FM band today seriously threatens the safety of air navigation. It is being done outside the scope of the laws that confer on the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART) the task of assigning and monitoring the use of the frequency spectrum of the various radiocommunication services, including broadcasting services. These include the law governing electronic communications and the law governing audiovisual activity.

Minette Libom Li Likeng then indicated that the successful organisation of a sporting event such as CHAN is highly dependent not only on the availability of frequency resources for the proper functioning of electronic communications networks, but also on the use of these resources in accordance with the technical standards and regulations in force.

The member of the Government requested that an assessment be made of the level of implementation of Ciabaf's various activities with a view to possibly giving new directions in the reform of the frequency sector. 

Source: investiraucameroun.com