Cameroonian artists protest over unpaid royalties in front of prime minister’s office

Based on reports, the artist are accusing CRTV of withhold the money despite clear directives from the presidency to disburse their due royalties. The protest they held this morning 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.

A little backstory

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.

More details will emerge when the meeting ends.