(JollofNews) – On behalf of President Adama Barrow and the new government, we wish to take this opportunity to express appreciation to you, and through you the entire Gambian diaspora, for the significant role that each and every one of you played in the struggle to free our dear country from the clutches of tyranny and mal-governance.
While the contribution of your colleagues on the ground and indeed the vast majority of Gambians who remained at home during the struggle had been unquantifiable, but the role of the Gambian online media and by extension, the Gambian diaspora in general, had been quite formidable.
It is hard to imagine how we could have gotten here without your contribution as well as the significant role played by the Gambian diaspora, both financially and through the effective use of social media to sensitize the population.
We wish to assure you therefore that this government considers the Gambian online media as an extension of the Gambian media rather than as adversaries, as it had been the case in the recent past, and as such, we want to work with you to consolidate the gains we have so far made in the emancipation of our people and how we can advance those gains.
We wish to assure you also that we have no intentions of ever trying to control or manipulate your editorial policies, on the contrary, we welcome your fair criticisms of our comportment and actions, because it is through such criticisms that we can realize when and where we need to buckle up.
Therefore, let us re-iterate that the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure is available at all times to answer to your concerns and queries with regards to issues pertaining to the government, and please never hesitate to contact us at all times.
We are anxiously looking forward to working with each and every one of you in our efforts to advance the cause of justice and fair play for our people wherever they may be.
We wish to thank you in anticipation of your usual cooperation.
Demba A. Jawo
Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure
The right man in the right job; and he earned it !
What is needed from the government is TIMELY RESPONSE to the media’s constant need for INFORMATION.
A Daily Press Briefing from the Ministry for the media will go along way to minimize FAKE NEWS and avoid MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
For example, Pa Mbai of Freedomnewspaper may wish to ask: “WHY IS BARROW ON TOUR CAMPAIGNING FOR UDP??!!” and the Ministry needs to give an answer:-
“President Barrow will remain strictly party neutral while on tour” … this coming directly from the Ministry will re-assure readers.
Additionally, Ministry needs to give out a 24/7 manned E-mail, Twitter and Facebook contact to the Media for ANY questions – so that the media will always have the Government’s response when they publish a story.
FURTHER, ALL NEWS THAT ARE NOT BASED ON FACTS NEED A DEBUNKING GOVERNMENT RESPONSE. OTHERWISE, “MUD-STICKS”.
I think it is Pa Mbai who is saying “BARROW MUST HAVE A JOLA CABINET MINISTER”!!! One can’t conclude “tribalism”, as Pa Mbai does because there is no Jola Minister in the Cabinet – but the government does need to EXPLAIN WHY THERE IS NO JOLA IN THE CABINET.
When the government and the Ministry are fully open to the media, then these misunderstandings will be minimized.
A Trump style news conference/// No thanks.
Whilst President Barrow may be accountable by the media>>>He does not have to account to the media’
In this there is a fundamental difference.
Jammeh said he would put Journalists 6 feet under and go to sleep on the Law.
Today through his Minister for Information he commended the online media.
I know who I prefer/
The President is accountable to the electorate.
A president is appointed to work for the people and must therefore never shy away from coming out on a set schedule to talk to the people directly in a healthy exchange aimed at shedding light on the burning issues of the day.
Where the apresident’s schedule doesn’t allow for regular public appearances, there’s no better person to fill this role than the Minister of Information.
MIKE I can’t make sense of your statements and I’m beginning to believe that you may be speaking with a bifurcated tongue!
What’s called double speak in the US.