By Lamin Drammeh
I can authoritatively confirm that Mr. Famara Fofana, has returned to The Gambia Radio & Television Services (GRTS) today, March 13, 2017, following a two month absence due to his resignation. His decision to return is motivated by massive calls by fans, well wishers and admirers for the prolific young journalist to come out of resignation and resume work soonest. He did exactly that by agreeing to serve the nation once again.
Readers will recall that Mr Fofana, resigned from GRTS in December last year during the political impasse after former President, Yahya Jammeh refused to step down.
Gambia was at the brink of political uncertainty when former autocratic president Yahya Jammeh, a ruthless dictator rejected the results of the presidential elections announced by the independent electoral commission, IEC, barely a week after he publicly accepted the same result, citing abnormalities. He refused to step aside and allow his predecessor Mr Adama Barrow replace him at the helm of the nation’s highest office, State house.
Jammeh threatened an all out war with Ecowas forces who earlier warned him of possible military intervention, should he insist on staying in power beyond the expiry of his constitutional mandate that ends on January 18, at midnight.
The regional troops redeployed the military to oust the highly controversial former criminal leader Jammeh.
He was forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea since January 21, allowing the new government to take charge of the state affairs, ending weeks of a highly publicized elections dispute that sent approximately 40 thousand Gambians into seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
Fofana resigned two days before Jammeh left the country to protect his reputation after he became increasingly frustrated by the state broadcaster’s unethical and unprofessional handling of the political crisis.
GRTS under the leadership of then director general Malick Jones, was the mouthpiece of former President Yahya Jammeh’s government, unethically promoting Jammeh’s political agenda until the final days of his disastrous regime, much to the detriment of other political opponents.
Now that stability has returned to the country and the state TV establishment transformed, Fofana could effectively, efficiently and credibly perform his editorial task/assignments under the leadership of a highly qualified director general Ebrima Sillah, who was recently hired by the new government in an effort of fix the damage done to GRTS and restore dignity and respect to the institution.
Fofana joined GRTS in 2007 and has since served the institution in spectacular style.
Without doubt, Fofana has rendered 10 years of tremendous service to the state-owned television, until he became the news editor.
Prior to his promotion to the editorial board of the television, Fofana used to present the news bulletin.
The popular Niumi boy, was widely admired for his brilliant and insightful reporting skills.
He used to host a famous program “limelight” before being promoted to serve in the editorial board of the TV.
Fofana is the authored of the famous book titled, “when my village was my village,” which is becoming the fastest selling book in Gambian market.
I wish Famara all the best on his return to GRTS, and I’m highly hopeful that he will deliver to expectations.
It’s just a matter of time.
