Press Hour of October 22, 2023
Transcript
00:00:00 [music]
00:00:30 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the program.
00:00:34 Francis Bacon, 1597, takes credit for the widely used quotes, "Knowledge is power."
00:00:42 The quote of the then English philosopher and chancellor has been reformulated by other researchers to give more meaning to human development.
00:00:53 Peter Ferdinand Drocker, 1909 to 2005, an Australian-American management consultant, educator, and author puts it this way,
00:01:06 "Knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement."
00:01:12 It is this most recent and the latest quote that we have, that we're going to use on this set,
00:01:20 to see how, during the week that just ended, we had the Digital Week in Cameroon,
00:01:27 and within the Digital Week we had the Women's Forum.
00:01:31 How can ICTs, which is part of science, help in closing the gender gap?
00:01:39 That is our focus on today's edition of Press Hour.
00:01:42 We invited just the type of people you will want to see talk about such a topic.
00:01:48 Meet Linda Ngobi-Singh.
00:01:52 She is Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization, call it CTO, liaison officer for Cameroon.
00:02:00 She was in the organization kitchen of the Digital Week.
00:02:07 Linda, we are happy to have you on Press Hour set this day.
00:02:12 It's a pleasure to be here and to share the set with honorable ladies and gentlemen.
00:02:19 Talking about honorable ladies and gentlemen, for now, gentlemen,
00:02:25 Professor Victor Barica, who is president of the ICT University.
00:02:33 Who else could we get on the set when we are talking about ICT closing the gap between the men and the women, gender?
00:02:44 Prof, once again, each time you come here, it's our pleasure to receive you.
00:02:49 I'm honored always to be on this great television station.
00:02:53 I really look forward to, I'm honored to be here with these three wonderful ladies to discuss this topic.
00:02:59 As a father of two daughters, this is a topic that means a lot to me.
00:03:04 A lot to all of us. And your appearance, we cannot go without talking about it.
00:03:09 Yes, I was honored by the throne of Bali a few months ago with the chief tenancy.
00:03:15 And I've received all kind of lifetime achievement awards, but the one from my own country means the world to me.
00:03:22 I think so.
00:03:24 So we're going to introduce Barista Joy Chepu, who is a women's rights advocate.
00:03:33 She has many other portfolios, but we prefer to use this one for today.
00:03:38 You're welcome to this set that you know so well.
00:03:41 Thank you very much, Kilian. It's good to be in the house.
00:03:44 Yes, in the house.
00:03:46 The portfolio doesn't matter. Being a woman today is the most important.
00:03:50 Yes, and our own Barista Louisa Songwe, women's rights advocate.
00:03:55 So, so very proud when she talks about herself and womanhood.
00:04:01 She is not the type of person who distinguishes she wants men and women to go together.
00:04:09 Is that a mistake? Barista Louisa.
00:04:12 Thank you very much, Kilian. And it's always a pleasure to be here.
00:04:16 And thank you so, and I'm also very much ready to interact with my colleagues.
00:04:22 And I just want to say something. You talked about knowledge being power.
00:04:26 Information and communication today is power.
00:04:30 And with that, this is quite an interesting topic for us to share, both for men and the women. Thank you.
00:04:37 You're welcome. I'm going to see how it moves the women. It propels the women even more.
00:04:42 We are going to, in the course of the program, have another guest, Che Achu Ransom, who is a consultant in ICT.
00:04:51 You'll see him when the debate gets hot.
00:04:54 But before we get there, first things first, the Press Review with Yoti Kale, Lesonge,
00:05:01 talking to us about what the newspaper has fed on in the week. Yoti.
00:05:11 The press men were as busy as bees this week.
00:05:14 Between covering Digital Week Cameroon, week-long activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC,
00:05:23 and the Week of Excellence in Scientific Research and Innovation in Cameroon,
00:05:27 they had their work cut out for them, to give readers every piece of information as events unfolded in the nation and abroad.
00:05:36 Digital First is the caption Cameroon Tribune uses to get the reader's attention on day one of their Digital Week,
00:05:43 an avenue where Cameroonian start-ups showcased their inventions.
00:05:48 Municipal Updates mentions the PM flagging Cameroon's digital exploits, one of them being the automatic toll gates to Soon Go Oppressional.
00:05:57 A new era in the road transport sector highlights the Guardian Post.
00:06:02 Strides made while the stage is set for ASMAC's Golden Jubilee indicates the Herald Tribune.
00:06:09 A celebration which is proof of maturity streamlines Cameroon Tribune,
00:06:14 underlining that at 50, the prestigious institution has trained several persons, some of whom were awarded diplomas during the FET.
00:06:23 Articles on Cameroonian researchers promoting the Made in Cameroon brand equally filled newspaper columns.
00:06:30 Likewise, stories on the race to the SDF chairmanship.
00:06:33 The Chronicle Times ponders asking what if the SDF status quo changes, answers the readership gets as they go through the article.
00:06:43 Municipal Updates on its part focuses on the three candidates eyeing the SDF top job ahead of the upcoming elective convention.
00:06:52 Newswatch simply opines that from this succession is a two-horse race.
00:06:57 The Herald Tribune, however, reassures the party sympathizers that a roadmap has been discussed for a successful convention.
00:07:05 Whilst Cameroon Tribune underscores that there are three aspirants and the Horizon concurs, stating that all three have been confirmed.
00:07:15 In the meantime, Transporter's Code of the planned strike.
00:07:19 After nervy talks with the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paula Tanganji, as seen on the Median,
00:07:25 the Guardian Post goes further to recount that the Minat Bus sweet-talked the transporters to call off the strike after three days of intense negotiations.
00:07:36 The Lone Bilingual Daily also took an interest in spotlighting the importance of striking a balance while exercising administrative tolerance,
00:07:44 pointing out that if the governance option has helped solve certain problems in society,
00:07:50 it's however having a heavy toll on the respect of rules and regulations, using the recurrent floods, building collapse, and urban disorder as examples.
00:08:01 Football fans as well expressed grievances this week to the print media as per the Indomitable Lions' poor performance
00:08:09 in the back-to-back international friendlies in preparation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
00:08:15 On Newswatch, they are questioning Song's ability to lead the Lions to the continental football jamboree.
00:08:22 Cameroon Tribune emphasises that the Indomitable Lions' route remains long as supporters have clearly seen that the team is far from being competitive.
00:08:31 Meanwhile, the President of the Cameroon Football Federation is accusing critics of scheming to ruin football as published on the Chronicle Times.
00:08:42 Thank you very much Yoti Kalele Songhe. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are just joining us, you are on Press Hour and we are beaming live from the CRTV Production Centre in Yonge Day.
00:09:04 The topic is "Can ICT close the gap between the genders?"
00:09:14 And we had this week that just ended the Digital Week in Cameroon that brought so many international people around to talk about this very important part of knowledge from science that is taking over the power of the world.
00:09:32 And Linda Ngobesin, you are the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Liaison Officer for Cameroon.
00:09:41 Tell us what is it that we can have as highlights of the Digital Week before we go into the discussion of how it can propel women to closing the gap.
00:09:53 Thank you very much, Cillian, for giving me the opportunity to talk about the major highlights of the Digital Week that was organised by the Republic of Cameroon and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.
00:10:07 It was a full week of activities where Cameroonians had the opportunity to talk with each other, to discuss and to chart a new course for Cameroon's digital transformation.
00:10:20 And I think the major highlight of this week was the Cameroon Futurescape, which was an immersion of what Cameroon should look like in the future.
00:10:29 Cameroonians were invited to register online to get a digital identity card which will enable them to have access to all the services in Cameroon.
00:10:41 It was practical. People were there. They got their cards produced. They got their facial recognition. They got these cards placed and their information popped out.
00:10:55 They saw that they could buy land. I personally bought land for 1000 francs from my electronic wallet.
00:11:03 People were in court, having cases being judged in the virtual court. People were having classes online. So this was the major highlight of this event.
00:11:14 And on the sidelines, we had different fora. There was a women's forum. Women came together to talk about inclusion and how women can work together to ensure that digital transformation includes them as well.
00:11:26 There was the youth and innovation forum. During the youth and innovation forum, young people were showcasing what they have been able to do to accompany the state in its digital transformation journey.
00:11:37 Innovators were there to showcase what they have been able to innovate so far. There was also the building blocks for Futurescape.
00:11:44 Now, how can we ensure that this practically happens? Now we have shown you that it is possible, but how can we ensure that it happens?
00:11:53 Answer that question. Yes.
00:11:55 Well, I can't answer that question because I am not in the right position to answer the question.
00:12:00 But all Cameroonians have to ensure that we get on board to ensure that this happens, including policymakers, lawmakers.
00:12:08 You know, it's not a question that one person should answer. It's a collective.
00:12:12 You're very correct. But you talked about something very, very, very, very interesting there when you talk about how Cameroon should look like in the future.
00:12:19 You gave a small picture, if you like. You gave a big picture of what you think from your organization of the event.
00:12:26 What should Cameroon look like in the future?
00:12:28 Cameroon should be a digital nation in the future, like every other digital nation out there.
00:12:33 There should be a single identity card that one person has, an ID card that carries all the information, their passport, their ID card, their, I don't know, whatever information that they have about themselves.
00:12:46 It should happen in Cameroon because it's practical. If it happens in the future, why can't we make it happen?
00:12:51 We should make it happen. And you are talking, there's an expert in ICT who is owning an ICT university that has centres, call them campuses around the world.
00:13:04 Professor Victor Barica, what is the power of ICT from what Linda just said? How can this propel, especially we're still talking about general power of ICT, as she was saying, what can that give Cameroon a big, strong face tomorrow, you see, in the future of this country with ICT?
00:13:27 Oh no, she spoke wonderfully and I'm so happy with what happened at the digital forum. I was not personally there, but ICT university was well represented by its Vice Chancellor, Professor Jean-Emmanuel Pondy.
00:13:42 He was present and we were of contribution. And I'm glad that such conferences, workshops, they do take place.
00:13:50 But Kilian, you know I always look at things differently. The world is still talking about what should happen. Africa should become this, Africa should become that through ICTs.
00:14:05 I want to state emphatically, we already have a good presence of ICTs in Cameroon and in Africa. We are not wishing for a day when we will be there. The issue is not whether we do have ICTs, the issue is what do we use what we have to do now.
00:14:27 It is working. I'll give you an example. Cameroon has e-visas. And within the first month there were problems. People wanted to kill the government because there were issues with e-visas.
00:14:41 Any new system that comes will take time before it's fully functional. But as Cameroonians, we are too impatient. The system will improve over time. We do have e-visas, there are many countries that do not have it.
00:14:53 We are already in the digital world in Cameroon. And I can assure you that the same service that made it possible for us to have e-visas, passports and the rest, are working towards making the national identity card go the same way as the passport.
00:15:11 Absolutely. It's from what we learned from these ones. Implementing the passport, which by the way Cameroon has one of the fastest passport making systems in the world. It beats America. For regular passport time, to make a passport in America is 4-8 weeks. In Cameroon, regular is 2-3 days. We beat the United States for that.
00:15:32 We already have something. The issue is how do we do more? Women in ICTs? Come on! Women are already leading in ICTs. You'll be shocked to know this. We are about to start classes at ICT University, the Cameroon campus soon.
00:15:51 There are more girls than there are boys in software engineering at ICT University today. But we still keep talking about some future. It is already happening. The ball is passing us and we are just dreaming of that. It is happening.
00:16:06 We already have very powerful programmers. One of the best programmers I know is a young lady that just graduated from our institution. She built some of the most powerful apps. She even developed what they call an IntelliBRA. A BRA that can help detect cancer in women. It is happening already.
00:16:25 So all these things I was talking about, the future. Let's talk about the good things happening. Equibank is led by a classmate and friend of mine, Gwendoline Abuno, who has brought one of the leading e-banking systems that anyone could wish for in any bank. So it is happening. Women are leading in ICTs. Even in the Western world, there are many women that are CEOs of top tech companies. So let's not make a mistake.
00:16:52 Thank you very much. That sends me directly to Barista Louisa Songwe, who is a women's rights advocate. Our spoken in nature when it comes to that. Louisa, can we say that ICT has helped you in your struggle to close the gap between the genders?
00:17:17 Thank you very much, Kilian. And thank you, Professor. It definitely has helped to close the gap. ICT, as he said, women are leading. And when we talk about ICT, we talk about passing off of information, the communications fair.
00:17:33 Now, women use this, not only the women, the public uses this as a means to inform in terms of violence, to let the women know exactly where to go to. We have hotlines. It also uses it in terms of even finding jobs. Now, in LinkedIn and social media, Facebook, you have an exposure of all kinds of jobs you could apply for.
00:17:57 And when we use all of this, we really see that there's an improvement in the understanding and also the use of ICT. As he says, there are lots of coding programs for women sponsored by a lot of international organizations. And you have lots of women that attend this program and have been educated on that.
00:18:18 So it's a positive thing. And I think one thing we should do, use the social media to also, as he sees, bring out the positive aspects of all this to make them understand that there is a progress happening. And this happens when we communicate about it and we share it. We don't only keep it to ourselves.
00:18:38 So it's really, really important, programs like this and workshops that we have had the last week, where we bring it, we expose it much more than what we are already doing so that girls know. And not only girls, this, this, even boys should know that. Let us get into this. I know exactly the positive and the negative side of the information and of the communication world.
00:19:03 Yes, we're going to come to the negative side and see how we can downplay that one to project the positive side. But for now, I'm coming over to you, Barista Joy Chiffon. How has the ICT knowledge helped you in your profession to do even better?
00:19:25 It's very, they have already said everything what ICT does. And if you want to look at how it helps my profession, now I can go online and I study from afar without necessarily being there in person. I can connect to clients from a distance, like you spoke about LinkedIn.
00:19:45 You know, we have all those facilities. We have all the social media outlets where we can be able to reach out to persons from a long distance and we're still going to function normally as if we're together. And just before we came up here, we're commenting on maybe the Internet, which is a very important aspect when it comes to the digital world.
00:20:08 And we're just making comments and laughing because sometimes it's very difficult for you to actually access and work like you should. You know, and we're thinking about people who are in areas where they don't have access to Internet, they don't have access to electricity.
00:20:25 And it's not just for us to, how do I put it, it's also an opportunity for all the other stakeholders who are concerned in facilitating the ICT. They need to come on board and see that they make the facilities better for us. We need better access to all of these things, so they need to help us, they need to play their role properly.
00:20:50 Yes, there's something that Linda started with and mentioned. She said in the forum, you had cases, court cases, online court cases. I'm going to ask the two barristers who are here, Barrister Joy and Barrister Luza, how practical is it to have a court case, a virtual court case?
00:21:17 If I may answer that, actually right now I work from home. So I attend court sessions, not in the country, out of the country. And it's very practical. One, as she said, as my colleague said, if you have a good Internet system, you're able to connect to colleagues to the court sessions that go on. And you're able to present to give your own arguments within that sphere.
00:21:46 So one thing that is possible is that this can happen. But if I come back now to our setting in Cameroon, there are two things that we need to do to get to that stage. Our judicial system, our legal system has to basically go with the flow and get updated in terms of having the digital world in.
00:22:09 Sometimes even in the way we file motions, we don't necessarily have to go to court for all these motions. We can do it online. We don't necessarily have to go to court for some submissions. We can do it online. So that's where in some of our departments we have to improve.
00:22:24 And she talked about the communication and the network system. If we have systems that are fast enough, to be honest, sometimes our courts are full. We don't even have space in court. But if we have some of the sessions online, it's going to decongest our court system, make the process faster because it's easy.
00:22:46 If I have to write a motion or a pleading and it takes me on a busy day, it takes me almost an hour to leave my office to the courthouse. If I could file this online, it's going to have a timestamp on when it was filed. And it's as easy as me going there and putting it in.
00:23:08 So I think that is where we need to improve on our systems. And this is some of the things that, and I think in the government plan for digital progress in Cameroon, this is some of the things that are already there. So we just have to move forward a little bit faster in implementing those.
00:23:28 And you say that if someone is not connected or someone doesn't have access to internet and you have to judge that person and you render a decision without the person presenting their own case in court, already that is not free, it's not fair. The person didn't have that equal rights like the other person. So we need to work on all of those services.
00:23:52 Linda, during the week-long digital activities that you had, we saw so many directors of private companies, of public companies, call them public enterprises, to use the most recent appellation for those companies.
00:24:16 Why did you choose companies to come along on this digital week?
00:24:23 Actually, I'm going to respond to that in relation to what the two ladies have just been saying. We can't, digital transformation is not a destination, it's a journey. And this journey requires the contribution of every stakeholder.
00:24:42 We got these companies, there was a major topic, connectivity, where we had the major operators in Cameroon sitting on that panel and responding to questions directly from the public. They were asking them how can we be on the way to digital transformation without proper connectivity.
00:24:59 And we were responding to these questions. We brought all these stakeholders together because it's important for the Cameroonians to know exactly where the problems are, how can we help, how can we support, and we are hoping that after this digital week, there's going to be more collaboration amongst government services, private services as well, to ensure that all of us are moving towards a digital future.
00:25:22 Prof has said that yes, there's really a lot happening, which really shows that this is something that can be done. It can be realised. If we were at the Futurescape and we saw the things that were being done there, we just realised that there is really absolutely nothing extraordinary about having a single ID card, for example. It's something that is practical, but then we need to work together to ensure that this is happening really practically.
00:25:49 And the importance of this digital week is marked by the presence of the Prime Minister who launched the digital week, and we captured exactly what happened when he launched it.
00:26:05 And Chris Denchir Atam was there to cover that and we're going to watch it and come back to talk about what Linda is just talking about, the companies, the stakeholders and the rest.
00:26:21 Cameroon Digital Week is a concept of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, CTO, organised in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Board, members of government, representatives of the Parliament and of the Diplomatic Corps, joint delegates from some 18 CTO countries, as well as hundreds of IT developers for the opening ceremony.
00:26:41 Professor Philemon Zosame, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board, co-host of the event, in his opening remarks, retraced the history of Cameroon's admission into the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and noted that the country has been benefiting from diverse programmes.
00:26:59 The Secretary General of the CTO, Bernadette Lewis, hailed all the efforts the government of Cameroon has made towards digital transformation. She challenged the country to be daring and innovative and to nurture and trust her IT innovators, whom she described as the future of the country's digital transformation.
00:27:16 The Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, and the Commonwealth Secretary General, Patricia Scotland, also spoke by video messages during the ceremony. Both women heaped praise on Cameroon's efforts towards digital transformation.
00:27:33 Which efforts were presented in detail by the Minister of Post and Telecommunications? Minette Libom-Lilike presented a masterclass of her speech, noting everything the government has done to develop the IT sector, from the advent of optic fibre cables to public key infrastructure, amongst others.
00:27:50 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that it has helped Cameroon strengthen her IT capabilities. Joseph Dion-Gutié said digital transformation is in line with the objectives of the National Development Strategy, adding that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:28:15 The Prime Minister of Government visited the exhibition ground, where IT innovators presented solutions they have designed in the domains of energy, health, education and governance, amongst others.
00:28:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:28:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:29:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:29:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:29:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:30:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:30:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:30:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:31:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:31:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:31:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:32:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:32:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:32:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:33:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:33:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:33:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:34:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:34:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:34:48 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:35:08 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:35:28 The Prime Minister of Government, Joseph Dion-Gutié, in his opening speech, hailed the relations between Cameroon and the CTO, noting that results are already visible in public administration, where digitalisation is reducing procedures and file treatment time.
00:35:48 The CTO is working on a project to ensure the implementation of what we saw in the Futurescape, and that project has been presented to the Government of Cameroon, which will eventually ensure the implementation.
00:36:15 The CTO is an organisation that accompanies Member States. They have a new course to accompany its Member States towards digital transformation. Eventually, we are going to have more of this coming. I can't say specific dates, but definitely you can count on me to come back and inform Cameroonians that more is coming.
00:36:35 You will be welcome. While I wait for you to give that place to an ICT consultant, we are going to watch this report that Yoti Kale-Lisonge, who followed that event during the week, did to show us how the different stakeholders' companies are important to come in.
00:36:57 Prof Victor, Barista Lusa, and Barista Joy Chephu. So we are going to watch that report.
00:37:12 Digitalisation, another tool for the toolbox. Females are uprised. Whether in urban or rural areas, they need to have a thrill for evolving technology. Panelists at the Women's Forum of the Cameroon Digital Week insist this first session centres on building an inclusive digital space for the empowerment of women.
00:37:31 Nobody, no excuse can be accepted for those girls to be apart or behind the development. Fortunately today we have more than 2,000 registrations online.
00:37:48 The benefits of ICTs cannot be overemphasised here. The ladies are told that with a smartphone and internet connection, they can open online businesses and even market their products.
00:37:59 Imagine a woman who has a gari in Gelbunduka to sell and another women's group in Yaounde who needs to buy the gari in bulk. If they were using the telephone very well, they would be informed and the women in Yaounde can buy and sell.
00:38:16 A vision some women's groups have already caught. The Association of Bayam Selam in Cameroon has plans to open an online store.
00:38:24 We envisage the creation of a Bayam Digital shop called Aso, like Amazon. It will help us to sell our products in Cameroon and abroad.
00:38:36 With tips as such, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation believes women wouldn't only be empowered, but equally be heading towards a digital future.
00:38:48 Digital future, that's what we are doing and heading to. I introduce Mr Che Achu Ransom who is a consultant in ICT.
00:39:05 You've been sitting there watching us here, now you are on the set. A word on what we have said before we go into some questions that are specific to a consultant you are.
00:39:18 Thank you very much, Kilian. I'm very happy to be on this platform today because this to me is very practical. It's something I've been into it, I've seen it as a consultant, I work with people every day.
00:39:31 I see their difficulties and I try to bridge the gap between people. And most often I work with a lot of parents. And to make everything short, the problem is coming from parents.
00:39:44 If only parents can come in and play their role, as it concerns ICT with children, this gap will be filled. Because most parents, even those who want to do it, they do it the wrong way.
00:39:56 Yes, what should parents do first before I ask you what is the wrong way they used to do?
00:40:03 Okay, I'll quote a practical example here, where a young child was going wayward. The mother was so interested in that child doing ICT and the mother bought that child a phone.
00:40:16 A phone in the market maybe?
00:40:18 Yeah, a phone in lower seat. And after some time this child was very bright, had good results in ordinary level. Started going wayward, couldn't even pass exam.
00:40:27 The mother came and cried to me, "You are an IT consultant, please help my child grow in ICT." I said, "But mother, he was first intelligent, but what happened?"
00:40:35 She said, "I don't know, I just asked her, does he has a phone?" He said, "Yes, bring me the phone."
00:40:41 When she brought me the phone, I decoded the phone. I showed her what the child has been doing with the phone. She collapsed.
00:40:50 She did not die?
00:40:51 No, she didn't.
00:40:54 That's a very good one you've given. So, the child used the phone the wrong way. And instead of helping that child, a girl, to advance, instead retarded. So, what should parents do in this case?
00:41:11 In this case, as I did with her and it worked, first of all, collect the phone from the child she collected. I said, "Get this child a computer."
00:41:20 Because when a child sits with a computer in front of him or her, there is this notion in the mind that, "I'm sitting to study."
00:41:27 But when a child holds a phone or a tablet, it's to play. It's to go on TikTok, it's to go on Snapchat, it's to go on Facebook, and to do all these kinds of things.
00:41:38 And more so, it doesn't only end there. You can easily control a child on the computer by what he gets access to on that computer than a phone.
00:41:48 The phone is to open. So, I advise most parents that if they want to get their children digital, they should start it at early age.
00:41:58 And if starting it, they should get the right equipment. If you can't afford a laptop, you can get a computer set as cheap as 60,000 francs.
00:42:08 You place it at one corner of the house for them. And then maybe you give them time that, "Okay, on weekends, you guys have two hours on the computer."
00:42:15 And then you call an expert like me to put in the kind of computer that can be appropriate for them at their age and at their class.
00:42:23 It's a battle to win because for children to go without phones today is a very difficult thing. Your advice, we've got it.
00:42:33 How do you actually make that advice practical in the home? Because the advice is good. But how do you make parents stop their children from getting those phones?
00:42:44 Some of the phones are not even brought by parents. And there is something we talked about on this program earlier.
00:42:51 That instead of the parents having more knowledge to control the children, the children have more knowledge in those things to control or even escape the attention of the parents.
00:43:01 How do you handle such very delicate issues?
00:43:04 I think it's not a problem because I did some research and I checked under the Ministry of Secondary Education. I discovered that children were not allowed to have full access on phones.
00:43:16 And yet they were advised to be introduced to computers. And I think that if the government himself knows that this material is not good for secondary school children, then we parents should at least acknowledge that fact.
00:43:32 Yes, I know of secondary schools, especially boarding schools in Cameroon, some in Yaoundé, some elsewhere, where children in secondary school don't use, they don't bring phones to school, to the campus.
00:43:48 And once they are caught, they are confiscated, the parents summoned and sometimes destroyed.
00:43:56 So that is the advice you are giving to parents today and the schools that are allowing children to get loose with phones, they should control the phones.
00:44:06 Yes, Prof, as an ICT expert, you listened to Mr Che, he raised a good number of things there on how to control ICT with children.
00:44:26 Absolutely, I'm proud to have one of our former students here. I'm really honoured to be on the panel.
00:44:36 I didn't know that.
00:44:38 It's an honour. You know this, my dear brother, that there are tons and tons of parental control apps that you can install on phones to control children.
00:44:48 You can break some of them, but at least it limits them as to certain sites they cannot go. So we should learn to use those.
00:44:56 I respect, I don't know why the Minister of Secondary Education made a decision that children should not have phones at school.
00:45:04 I'm pretty sure they had good reasons, but I want to plead with the Ministry to revisit that decision.
00:45:10 There are indeed applications that you can have on phones, on computers, on television, on smart televisions to limit what children have access to.
00:45:21 For example, if you try to pull up a pornographic, it's going to block it.
00:45:24 You can put apps on your phone that can limit them to even access certain social media sites. It's very possible in 2023.
00:45:33 So rather than prevent them, because children in secondary school, we have ICTs as a secondary school subject.
00:45:40 You cannot stop them from being on the phone and they are studying ICTs.
00:45:44 We can control using these same technologies on limiting their access.
00:45:50 Children will always be children. I enjoyed stealing my dad's cars and driving when I was at the age of 14, 15.
00:45:58 Now that I own my own cars, I don't like driving.
00:46:01 Children will always be children, but stopping them in the age of ICTs from having access to all possible ICTs, it's a huge mistake.
00:46:09 I don't think it's a mistake of the Ministry of Secondary Education, but I'm saying they should reconsider that because there are apps.
00:46:17 All these schools now have IT departments that can get these phones from time to time and make sure they have the necessary controls.
00:46:25 What we are saying, is practically that a student who is doing ICT is open to cracking the apps that you have installed.
00:46:40 Cracking the apps, that's a beautiful thing. That means they are becoming experts in ICTs. We want them.
00:46:47 You apply apps to stop them from getting somewhere, they just get the phone with their knowledge, they get apps, they break it and they keep on using it.
00:46:56 The best way to catch a thief is to train people how to be thieves.
00:47:00 I'm saying this very seriously. It's a good thing.
00:47:04 When I went to the first university I went to in Chicago, I used to break into systems as fun.
00:47:12 I was young, I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't know what was dangerous, but that helped me today to understand cyber security more than anything else.
00:47:20 It's actually a good thing, Kilian, that these kids can actually break through.
00:47:25 Now it's a battle, getting these good ICT departments in these secondary schools to fight that battle with them. It's actually fun.
00:47:33 Yes, Basta Lusa, when Prof says this, he said we should install apps to stop. Prof says yes, we should install apps to stop but allow children to have phones because that's part of what is making the world, that is what makes people progress today in the world.
00:47:51 How do you balance these two waves of thought?
00:47:56 I think I would like to differ in some aspects with Prof in the sense that yes, it's good for kids to have phones but then it depends on when they have these phones and when they use these phones.
00:48:12 As the ministry says, don't bring the phone to school. Even school you have to study other subjects, you should not bring these phones to school.
00:48:22 One, two, parents too, in terms of when you buy these phones, I think we should also go back to those who sell phones and everything.
00:48:29 Educate the parent when they are buying phones in terms of who are you buying it for, you should install some of these apps, X can help you install some of these apps.
00:48:37 Those are where we have some of the gaps in terms of the parents don't even know how to use their own phones. It's the children who know exactly.
00:48:46 It's like the children know how to break every code, they would be able to get into it. But then as a parent, what education do you even have to transmit in terms of how to use the phone?
00:48:57 Coding, cyber security in terms of how do we get into some of these codes, how do we break some of these codes, it's also very good for the children to learn.
00:49:06 But they have to learn it in a particular context and within that context, how to be matured in using this technology and how to be matured in using these phones.
00:49:16 Yes, what are the difficulties you have had, Barista Joy, with those children that you are mentoring, especially the girls, when it comes to controlling the wrong use of phones?
00:49:30 I think this is where the beauty of parenting comes in, where a parent can be able to communicate with the child and let the child know that some of these things are not good.
00:49:40 And also, as a parent, you need to know exactly what you can use as a strong force against the child.
00:49:48 You know, there are children that if you tell them, don't do this, they will do that.
00:49:51 That's the word of the day.
00:49:52 And there are children that if you tell them that this is the punishment for doing this, it's more important to them than even giving them maybe pocket money or something.
00:49:59 So, we just try to communicate with these children and see what is most important to them.
00:50:05 Because, like you said, those children know how to manipulate the phones more than the parents.
00:50:10 So, what exactly are you going to do, telling the child that this app, you know, the child already knows what it's on.
00:50:16 So, you need to communicate and find ways around it.
00:50:21 Do you see how what you brought up is being challenged across the table?
00:50:25 Yes, but I think what the professor just said, my mentor just said, is actually true.
00:50:34 But, it depends on the society where we implement it.
00:50:38 So, in our society, let's talk about Cameroon.
00:50:41 Like in Cameroon, that's what I was saying.
00:50:43 Most of them, we allow the society to train our children for us, rather than us training our own children.
00:50:50 I believe that if parents can bring up...
00:50:52 What do you mean by that?
00:50:53 Okay, for example, most children, they come to be like, they know more about ICT, like goggling, maybe from friends' phones or from some kind of situations.
00:51:04 And when they are showing them, they are not showing the kind of thing that their parents don't want them to see.
00:51:08 That's true.
00:51:09 That's the reality.
00:51:10 But if we start by introducing them into these things way back home, then before the child goes out there, he or she knows what to get.
00:51:18 And actually, he can identify the wrong things, maybe from what we've given them from home.
00:51:23 We'll be able to...
00:51:24 Okay.
00:51:25 I'm sorry.
00:51:26 What suddenly happened to discipline at home?
00:51:29 Do we still have it where I could not approach my mom with a bad report card?
00:51:34 I mean, I don't know.
00:51:37 I think, like he rightly says, we are giving everything about the training of our children to the schools.
00:51:45 I really still do think we can have technology to control access by children.
00:51:51 And then, parents must still be parents and have rules, like my dear sister said.
00:51:56 Yeah.
00:51:57 I don't know why we are beginning to lack on that.
00:52:00 We will not stop children from technology.
00:52:02 I don't care what we say.
00:52:03 You will never stop them from accessing technologies, no matter what you do.
00:52:08 We should still implement that discipline that we remember our parents used to expect us to have.
00:52:15 I think I have children who are disciplined, but I just trust that it's because the environment, the closeness I have with them,
00:52:28 because to say, "Lusa, that I'm always there at home," would be not telling the truth.
00:52:36 But you have an expectation for her.
00:52:38 Yes, they have.
00:52:39 Kilian, let me just add an example.
00:52:44 Sorry to cut you short.
00:52:46 I gave a talk to children in a government secondary school, lower-seed science children, in terms of information and how to use their phones.
00:52:55 It was amazing how, in the class, there was so much they didn't understand in terms of how the positive aspects of using those phones
00:53:03 and the negative aspects of some of the sites that they used.
00:53:07 You could see they were really very much involved in the communication and some of the negative things that they did.
00:53:14 This was a good one for them to understand that, "Look, we were not told at home.
00:53:21 We were given phones, and it's a way to communicate."
00:53:24 Secondly, it's also a way to keep us away from our parents because our parents are very busy.
00:53:29 Those were some of the excuses.
00:53:31 But then we did not know exactly what were the negative aspects of using some of the sites on these phones.
00:53:37 So I think, yes, the parents have a role to play, too.
00:53:42 Our education, us as mentors, and also that we are aware of some of these things, have also a role to play in making them understand.
00:53:50 Because I think sometimes when we also go to talk to them, we always start off with the negative, "Don't have a phone, don't have a phone."
00:53:55 You tell them, "Yeah, as he said, there are a lot of good things you can do with a phone."
00:53:59 But then let them know both sides of it and what are the consequences.
00:54:02 There is a lot of bullying.
00:54:04 Thank you. Thank you very much.
00:54:06 I'm going back to the consultant in ICT, Ransom.
00:54:10 What are the statistics of Cameroonians exposed to ICT?
00:54:16 And what is the percentage of women who have those statistics?
00:54:22 Do you have them?
00:54:24 I don't actually have the statistics, but they can be kind of estimated from the society as I work with people.
00:54:32 I would discover that at least at one time the National Communication Council president gave statistics saying about 35% of Cameroonians are exposed to ICTs.
00:54:50 I don't think someone should account for that. I'm giving a figure that's a pretty huge number.
00:54:57 Now, if we have this, knowing that we have 51-52% of the Cameroonian population, 27 million Cameroonians today,
00:55:08 then we should have a pretty good number of women using this.
00:55:13 So how can the ICTs help limit the gap between men and women?
00:55:22 You know there has been this gap that women have been trying to catch up to get equal opportunity.
00:55:30 They don't say rights, they say opportunities as men in the society.
00:55:35 You are sad.
00:55:37 Yes, Kilian, I think I know much about this because way back in 2012 when I was a student at ICT University, I was a professor here.
00:55:47 We had a lot of sensitization on ICT before even we started school, and we encouraged because in our class we had just one lady.
00:55:55 I remember when we had our end of batch celebration, the professor actually made us understand that women need to be encouraged into ICT.
00:56:04 He just said that we have more women today than men.
00:56:08 That's the point. That's by then, the ratio then compared to today, the gap is really big.
00:56:16 Many women have come into ICT and we have all worked together to see that we may come into ICT.
00:56:21 I in person, I have done it. I took the mantle at hand.
00:56:25 And I think as of today I can count about 25 women who have passed through me to gain a career in ICT.
00:56:31 That is very good. Barista Joy, what do you think should be done to close this gap as we are using ICT?
00:56:38 I don't think we have a gap. He already said the gap was closed and women are even leading.
00:56:43 So as far as ICT is concerned, I believe it. I believe it, yes.
00:56:49 So you have no fight now to defend, say that women don't have that?
00:56:55 No, when it comes to ICT, women already have the information they need and they are already in the field, they are working.
00:57:02 How does that help them close the gender gap now is a wide aspect.
00:57:06 Okay, alright. I think that for them now, it's just the information that they need to get the jobs that they need to close the gap, get the money they need.
00:57:20 Empowerment is the word, yes.
00:57:22 I would also add that, I also think that...
00:57:24 And that would be your last word?
00:57:25 Yes, please. They should also be given the opportunity. Because women have closed the gap.
00:57:29 Are they given the opportunity to work in most of these organizations and in most of these business places?
00:57:34 They would rather get a man to be the IT tech, not a woman.
00:57:38 There is this word, seize. And then you seize opportunities you are not given.
00:57:44 Oh no, the women have already seized all those opportunities. But then you need somebody to employ you.
00:57:49 I see. That is good. Thank you.
00:57:51 I mean, if you are as good as that, please employ these women.
00:57:54 Thank you very much. And Prof, your last word, you talk about plans to empower women in Cameroon in the near future?
00:58:04 Absolutely. I'm so glad. See, let's not keep talking too much about the gap in ICTs. Women are really doing well.
00:58:12 I think it's a little unfair to the women that have really fought and worked hard to bring us to where we are.
00:58:17 To sound like it's really bad. I don't think any group of men meet and say, let's limit women to having access to ICT.
00:58:24 I'm not aware of that. But thank you so much. I wanted to announce that next year, Cameroon, through ICT University,
00:58:32 will be hosting a Women in Tech Summit, global summit, where we will be disbursing in place 200 million francs
00:58:39 to fund women IT related businesses. 200 million francs.
00:58:44 Right here at Palais de Congrès next year in July. I come back to it. We can say all we want to say, but we need to give opportunities.
00:58:53 But put money, not just our mouth. We need to put money and encourage them.
00:58:58 And girls, women too have to take that responsibility. Number one, give women one of phones.
00:59:03 But they should start thinking about having laptops when they're asking for phones from other people.
00:59:07 Very good. Joy, you have heard, you have children, your foundation is...
00:59:11 Chairful Siri Foundation.
00:59:14 Chairful Siri Foundation. We're going to seize that opportunity to make sure that you carry them along.
00:59:19 Thank you. Thank you very much, Barista Louisa Songwe, Women's Rights Advocate.
00:59:24 We're always pleased to have you on this set with your ideas. Really very, very straight to the point and educative.
00:59:32 We had Linda Ngobisin who has just left, waiting for us outside to go for some other things after the program.
00:59:41 Barista Joy Chephu, Women's Rights Advocate. You were brilliant yourself today.
00:59:46 Thank you very much for coming and for sharing your knowledge with our viewers.
00:59:51 Che, I run some consultant in ICT. It's a pleasure. This is the first time I'm seeing you and I'm very pleased to have you on this set.
00:59:59 Professor Victor Barica, an expert in ICT and president of ICT University who encompasses around the world.
01:00:07 Thank you very much for always making it with awesome pressure.
01:00:11 Thank you.
01:00:12 Yes. Gentlemen, thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your time.
01:00:17 If you miss out on anything in this program, you have the rebroadcast on Monday at 2.30. May God bless you.
01:00:24 Thank you.
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