The Gambia Press Union (GPU) has officially bade farewell to Saikou Jammeh after he stepped down as secretary general of the journalist union. Jammeh’s departure from the role took effect on January 31.
GPU said: “Mr. Jammeh served the GPU for five years as Secretary General. He came in 2015 under the presidency of Bai Emily Touray and was reappointed in 2018 following the election of the current executive.
“Saikou presided over the growth of the Union as an institution and the secretariat as its operations centre. He is credited for some transformative institutional reforms at the GPU secretariat. He also presided over some of the Union’s most successful media freedom and media development campaigns.”
Reacting to Mr. Jammeh’s resignation, the GPU President Sheriff Bojang Jr, said: “it was extremely difficult to accept Saikou’s resignation and let him go because apart from his outstanding work ethics and dedication to the success of the Union, he has always been the most exciting person to work with.”
According to Mr. Bojang, “change is the ingredient of life and after five very tough and challenging years at the helm of affairs at the GPU, Saikou’s decision to move onto the next challenge is quite understandable. We’ll miss him dearly.”
Mr. Jammeh described his departure as one of the most difficult decisions he made and crediting the GPU for giving him a great deal of experience, according to the GPU’s statement.
“Serving you has so far been the most memorable, honorable and fulfilling assignment in my career”, Mr. Jammeh wrote to colleagues.
He has resigned to focus on writing, something dear to his heart. “I missed writing in the style of the 5Ws and H. In the history of our country, has there ever been a better time to be a journalist than now?”
