PRESIDENT OF YJAG ON THE 4th ANNIVERSARY AND CONGRESS OF YJAG HELD AT THE KMC MULTI-PURPOSE HALL, KANIFING, OCTOBER 22ND,
2011.
Assan Sallah |
Good
morning Mr. Chairman,
Members of
the high table
Cabinet
ministers here present
YJAG board
members
Media
chiefs here present
YJAG
members
GPU
representative,
Distinguished
guests,
Today marks
an important milestone in the annals of the Young Journalists Association of
The Gambia. As we celebrate our 4th anniversary which also coincided
with the association’s 2nd Congress. I am therefore deeply honoured
to give my welcome remarks in this important gathering.
Today is a
moment of reflection on our achievements in the past for my executive as it
marks the end of term for my executive and the beginning of a new term for the
incoming executive. I also want to make it very clear that I am stepping down
after serving as president of the association for two years and I will not
contest for any position.
However, I
would also want to assure the incoming executive that you have my support and
can always count on me whenever the need arises. I will still be an honorary
member and guide you in our drive to move the association forward.
Mr.
Chairman
Distinguished
guests,
Ladies and
gentlemen
Each year
when we celebrate our anniversary, we choose a theme and discuss on it. The
theme for this year’s celebration is; “the role of journalists in
elections.”
The theme of the 4th anniversary is indeed timely as we are
approaching the 2011 Presidential Elections by next month. May I also use the
opportunity to inform this gathering that there will be a training on the role
of journalists in elections for members of the association which will be held
today immediately after the opening ceremony.
Mr.
Chairman
Distinguished
guests,
Ladies and
gentlemen
You will
all agree with me that elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and the
media has a vital role in informing the public about what the politicians are
promising and to tell the politicians what ordinary people want, or they do not
want, as well as ensuring that elections are free and fair. Therefore the
importance of the proposed training on election reporting is also very
important.
Mr Chairman,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
The role of
the media as the fourth estate in nation building is primarily to provide
information, to report on events, to provide forums for debate and
consideration with access to information regarding political and societal
developments by all groups in society, and to fulfill the role of watchdog on
public affairs. Such power also brings responsibility with regards to
standards, ethics and truth.
However,
this can only be attained within the enclave of an empowered human resource
base. This as well explains the enormous challenges faced by Gambians
journalists particularly the sprouting ones, who are obsessed with the burning
desire to land their tender feet on the soil of this noble profession.
Mr Chairman,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Even though
there are not many institutions available to offer journalism courses,
associations have been born with formidable zeal and determination to enliven
the profession and to protect the interest and integrity of the actors in this
field, particularly the young ones, on whose shoulders lie the future of these
esteemed profession.
It was
exactly based on this line of thought that the Young Journalists’ Association
of The Gambia (YJAG) emerged on the 16th of September 2007, with the
following objectives;
Promoting
unity among young journalists in The Gambia; provide capacity building;
addressing the welfare of its members; promote mutual government-media
relationship, compliment the efforts of the Gambia Press Union in promoting
press freedom, among others.
However, in an effort to meet these objectives, YJAG has
made significant strides towards promoting the welfare of young Gambian
journalists during my term as president of the association from September 2009
to September 2011.
These achievements
include;
Climate Change
Conference
One of the
first activities held in November 2009 was a “Climate Change Conference” at the
Baobab Holiday Resort and funded by the World Wildlife Fund, through the
Ministry of Forestry and the Environment.
The conference
was designed to increase the knowledge of young journalists with regard to
climate change and its effects on the environment and the lives of the people.
We believe that journalists can only report accurately on a particular subject
when they understand it well.
With the
climate change summit to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark a month later, the
conference facilitated the creation of an organisation of youth groups across
the country to converge on a one day follow up conference and outlined issues
of common concern to The Gambian youth delegation to Copenhagen to present at
the summit.
Call on
media chiefs
Since then,
my executive and members of the association have undertaken a series of
activities in line with the 2009/10 action plan. The first being a tour of
media houses which was aimed at discussing the plight of young journalists in
the print and electronic media.
During the
tour in January this year, we visited and discussed with the Managing Editor of
Today newspaper, the Publisher and Proprietor of the Daily News,
Editor-In-Chief of Foroyaa newspaper, the Managing Director of Daily Observer,
the Editor-In-Chief of The Voice newspaper, the Publisher and Proprietor of The
Gambia News and Report Magazine, the Managing Director of The Point, the
Managing Director of Digest Publication, and The Director of Information
Services, Gambia Info.
There were
calls on media chiefs to provide in-house trainings for young journalists,
increase remunerations of staff; with specific focus on freelancers in order to
enable them deliver in their news rooms as expected.
All media chiefs promised to pay heed to our call and in fact, we are glad to note that there have been remarkable improvements since, though we still need to adjust.
All media chiefs promised to pay heed to our call and in fact, we are glad to note that there have been remarkable improvements since, though we still need to adjust.
The
reaction we got from them was that YJAG can be a nursery bed for the proper
germination of the seeds of journalism in The Gambia. They also told us that
the plight of young journalists is an important issue and that it is not only
about having the right to express yourself freely, but the profession should
also earn you a decent life.
It was also
admitted that young journalists are the life blood of every newspaper; however,
media chiefs lamented the cost of running a newspaper, saying equipments are
expensive and this can cut down earnings.
Nonetheless,
they promised to support the association to the fullest.
Training on
media laws
“Understanding
Media Laws in The Gambia” was the theme of a one-day training programme for
Young Journalists organised by my executive in February 2010.
The
training was held at the Joint Officers Mess in Kotu and it brought together 40
young journalists including affiliate members of writers clubs in various
schools in the country.
It was
aimed at building the capacity of young journalists in the country to better
execute their duties in conformity with the Laws of the land. It also gave
young journalists the opportunity to broaden their horizon on the media laws in
the country and how they should observe and respect these laws.
Presentations
on the topic were delivered by Dr. Henry Carrol, Sam Sarr, editor-in-chief
Foroyaa newspaper, and Lawyer Edward Gomez, now the Attorney General and
Minister of Justice.
The opening
of the event was presided over by the Chief Justice of The Gambia Emmanuel
Agim.
Mr Chairman
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen,
It would be
interesting to know that YJAG got a big disappointment from Vision Development
Foundation, otherwise called VDF, a charitable foundation in Churchills Town.
This
foundation promised to sponsor our training on Media Laws and they told us to
sign and agreement with a particular Restaurant in town to provide Breakfast
and Lunch for 40 people during this training. They also promised to settle the
bill upon receipt of our letter of agreement, which was signed by both YJAG and
the said Restaurant. To our surprise, they failed us and have not until today
settle that bill yet. Several follow up calls were made to this effect but
still they did not respond to us, instead they keep giving us empty promises.
However,
the Restaurant owner was very mad with us and I settled that bill from my own
account. So as we speak, YJAG is owing me D5, 000.
Again,
during that same media laws training, Hon. Edward Gomez, the Attorney General
and minister of Justice made a pledge that he will give us D10, 000, hence our
account was in red at that time but until today, we have not receive that D10,
000 pledge, despite several efforts made to remind him about it.
Therefore I
will use this opportunity to again remind the Honourable Minister of Justice of
his pledge to YJAG.
Gambia
college press club trains members
With the
support of YJAG, The Gambia College Press Club (GCPC) held a day-long training
session on “Basic Journalism” for its members in March 2010 at the Brikama
Campus.
The Gambia College Press Club contacted YJAG to assist in what the club’s president called the need “to recruit students in the press and build their capacity through training” in order to better enhance their day-to-day work as college press corps.
YJAG delegated three of its members, myself being the President, Aminata Sanneh the first Vice President and Mamadou Edrisa Njie, second Vice President to present papers on Writing Skills and Techniques in News Writing, Interview Techniques, News Gathering and Code of Ethics.
The Gambia College Press Club contacted YJAG to assist in what the club’s president called the need “to recruit students in the press and build their capacity through training” in order to better enhance their day-to-day work as college press corps.
YJAG delegated three of its members, myself being the President, Aminata Sanneh the first Vice President and Mamadou Edrisa Njie, second Vice President to present papers on Writing Skills and Techniques in News Writing, Interview Techniques, News Gathering and Code of Ethics.
Breaking
provincial boundaries
In May
2010, the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia embarked on a provincial
tour of the country in a hectic but thrilling undertaking in which it held
series of meetings with Community Radio Stations and Senior Secondary Schools.
The tour
was intended to help young journalists familiarize themselves with not only
their communities but the wider parts of the country. It is widely believed
that a good journalist must know his or her community in order to effective in
carrying out his/her duty to inform. So YJAG deemed it fit to take to the other
side of the country.
The
three-days tour took 20 members of YJAG to Fort Bullen in Barra, Armitage
Senior Secondary and the Underground Slave House in Jangjangbureh, Radio
Gambia, Unique FM and Paradise FM, all in Basse, and the Brikamaba Community
Radio Station.
The tour
was also meant to expand membership of the association and its activities by
inviting young reporters in various Radio Stations and would be reporters from
Senior Schools to join YJAG.
Courtesy
calls on government officials
Earlier on,
in February 2010 the executive paid a courtesy Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, Dr. Isatou
Njie-Saidy to brief her about the Climate Change Conference and to seek her
office’s support.
We also
briefed her on the gains registered by the previous executive (YJAG) and our
2010/11 Action Plan.
The vice
president hailed our efforts, promised to support us whenever the need arises
and called on us to continue being responsible in our duty to inform and
educate the public.
The
Minister of Forestry and the Environment, Hon. Jatto Sillah also received us
with open arms and contributed immensely to the success of the Climate Change
Conference that was held in November 2009.
In
September 2010, we also visited Hon. Ousman Sonko, the Minister of Interior in
Banjul, to update him on our past activities, aims and objectives and our 3rd
anniversary. The visit was aimed at fostering mutual understanding between
journalists and the Ministry in charge of internal security in The Gambia.
Monthly
Meetings
We have
also been holding executive and general meetings in which issues of common
concern have been raised and we try to deal with it in a manner that is better
for the progress of the association.
I would
like to thank Lamin Manga, the Proprietor of Unique FM for giving the
association an office space at Unique FM in Bakau where we’ve been holding our
general meetings regularly.
We also
held a number of football matches, one of which was against the media chiefs,
aimed at promoting understanding and cordial relations with our bosses.
Training for affiliate
youth organizations
In March 2010, the association conducted a training for the
St. Joseph SSS Press Club members on Basic Journalism. It was held at the St.
Joseph School hall and was attended by 25 members of their club.
The association also supported the United Guardian Youths
for Development (UGYD) during their training for their members including Young
Writers club members form various schools. This training was held at the
Regional Education Office in Kanifing in May 2011.
Fundraising
The biggest fundraising event held by my executive was in
July 2011, when we organized a grand fundraising show with the famous
Senegalese artist, Sheikh Faal. This fundraising event is locally called ‘Tana
Birr’ in the Wollof parlance and was held at the Buffer Zone in Tallinding.
I am happy to announce that we gathered more than D12, 000
from that event. The treasurer will shed more light on that later in the day
when she is giving her financial report before the congress.
Newsletter publication
The association has also planned to produce a newsletter
which was supposed to be launched today as part of the 4th
anniversary but due to some technical problems we were not able to do so but we
hope to solve those problems and the incoming executive will launch it
Inshallah.
Constraints
The main constraint hindering the implementation of certain
activities in YJAG, is finance. We still need more financial support and I
would therefore use this opportunity to kindly appeal on behalf of the
association, to those here present and to all other institutions, organizations
and individuals to kindly support YJAG financially. Pledges are also welcomed.
Mr Chairman,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
These are the main achievements registered by YJAG during my
term as president from September 2009 to date; And to the incoming executive, I
would say ‘aspire to acquire what you desire’ in the interest of the
association and journalism in general. Be rest assured of my fullest support at
all times.
In a
nutshell Mr. Chairman, I would like to use this opportunity on behalf of YJAG
to thank all those who supported my executive during my tenure in one way or
the other.
I would
also like to convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my executive and
all members of the association; Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice
President and Minister of Women’s Affairs; YJAG Board chairperson, Amie
Bojang-Sisoho and the rest of the board members, all the media chiefs, the GPU,
Hon. Jato Sillah, Minister of Forestry and the Environment, Hon. Ousman Sonko,
Minister of Interior.
Again I
would say a special thank you to Pa Malick Faye, Observer MD, my own boss for
supporting and encouraging me throughout my term as president of YJAG.
Long live YJAG and
Long live The Gambia.
I thank you all for your kind
attention.
No comments:
Post a Comment
The views expressed in this section are the authors' own. It does not represent The North Bank Evening Standard (TNBES)'s editorial policy. Also, TNBES is not responsible for content on external links.