By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, PAV – Award-winning journalist and Cameroon correspondent for U.S.-based media outlet Pan African Visions (PAV), Ngunyi Sonita Nwohtazie, has successfully defended her Master’s degree in Corporate Communication, earning an A grade and drawing praise for research described by examiners as timely, relevant and policy-oriented.
The defense took place on Tuesday, January 20, at the University of Buea, marking the culmination of years of academic commitment alongside an active journalism career. The session was chaired by Professor Kingsley L. Ngange, with Associate Professor Nengieh Wantchami, Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, serving as a panel member, and Professor Julius Che Tita as the supervisor.
A Study Rooted in Crisis and Reality
Ngunyi Sonita defended a thesis titled “The Role of Internal Corporate Communication in Ensuring Effective Workplace Safety: Case Study of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC)”. For more than thirty minutes, she was rigorously examined on her research objectives, methodology and findings, before the jury unanimously endorsed the work.
The study examines the challenges faced by the CDC, Cameroon’s second-largest employer after the government, particularly amid the protracted Anglophone Crisis, which has deeply disrupted the corporation’s operations. Over the years, CDC workers have faced kidnappings, killings and injuries, pushing the company’s safety systems under immense strain.
“The research topic and the problem are very relevant. We are dealing with a contemporary issue that is ongoing, and you are adding communication to the perspectives,” Professor Kingsley Ngange said.
“This work provides relevant data to ensure that policies in the area of Corporate Communication will enhance safety at work for CDC workers. Based on this, we are unanimous that this work should be submitted to the Senate of the University of Buea for the award of a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communication with an A grade.”
While acknowledging the devastating impact of the conflict, Ngunyi Sonita said that her research went further than attributing safety failures solely to the crisis. She said: “The Anglophone Crisis significantly disrupted CDC’s operations, workforce stability, and safety systems.”
“However, while the crisis explains why safety challenges intensified, it does not fully explain how safety risks were managed internally during this period.”
According to her findings, internal communication structures at CDC remained largely informal, fragmented and reactive, even as workers were exposed to heightened physical danger, psychological stress and operational uncertainty.
Communication Gaps and Safety Risks
The study established a significant relationship between effective internal corporate communication and workplace safety performance at CDC. Departments with clearer communication channels reported better safety awareness and compliance.
However, the study also revealed that communication gaps undermined safety, with critical information often delayed, inconsistent or distorted as it moved from management to workers, particularly at operational levels. This, she noted, weakened emergency preparedness and increased exposure to risks.
Another key finding highlighted the limited integration of communication professionals into safety management. “Communication officers are not systematically involved in safety planning, training, or risk communication, leading to poorly coordinated safety messaging,” she said.
Ngunyi Sonita’s research further showed that CDC relied heavily on traditional communication tools such as notice boards and verbal instructions, methods she described as inadequate in a crisis-prone and geographically dispersed organisation.
“The Anglophone Crisis weakened trust and feedback mechanisms between management and employees, reducing workers’ willingness to report hazards or near-miss incidents,” she observed.
Recommendations for Reform
Based on the findings, the study recommends that the CDC formally integrate communication professionals into occupational health and safety planning, safety committees, and emergency response structures.
She also advocates for a redesign of safety communication policies to reflect the realities of operating in conflict-affected environments, with emphasis on clarity, consistency and psychological reassurance.
In addition, the adoption of modern, multi-channel communication platforms, including digital alerts, internal bulletins and mobile messaging systems, is recommended to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of safety information.
Beyond academia, Ngunyi Sonita is a seasoned journalist with Pan African Visions, where she reports for other media houses, including HiTV Cameroon. She has built a strong reputation in sports reporting, covering a range of political, social, and general assignment stories.
Her professional excellence was recognised in 2023, when she won the Victoria International Media Merit Award (VIIMMA) for the Jury International Prize for Emerging Young Reporters, an honour celebrating courage, creativity, accuracy, and a deep connection to the people and issues they cover.
