The Young Journalists’ Association of the Gambia (YJAG) has elected new executive members to steer the affairs of the group for the next 3 years at a triennial congress held at Alliance Franco-The Gambia on Friday, May 26 2017.
Kebba Jeffang was elected President, Halimatou Ceesay, first Vice President, Muhammed S. Bah, second Vice-President, Bakary Ceesay, Secretary General, Abdoulie Jammeh, the assistant Secretary General, Isatou Keita, Treasurer, Pakaba Suso, Auditor and Momodou S. Jallow as Public Relation Officer. Almost all of them went unopposed except the Public relation Officer who won an overwhelming majority.
Kebba Jeffang, the newly elected President, commended members for entrusting him with the leadership of the association in his acceptance speech. He said they will ensure they live up to the expectations of young journalists of the Gambia.
“In the next 3 years, our priorities will be to engage the media chiefs and organisations to consider improving the pay scale of young journalists. Many active journalists in the Gambia are young ones including the reporters and editors but they are not paid what they deserve,” he said.
Jeffang added that his association will work with the Gambia Press Union in ensuring that the unfavorable media laws are repealed from the laws of the Gambia.
“You will bear with me that the Gambia under this new dispensation has improved a lot in terms of free press. However, this doesn’t mean that such laws are removed. They are still existing and they could be used against anyone at any time. We will make sure we work with the GPU to achieve this endeavor which they have already started,” said YJAG president.
He said capacity building for young journalists will be given a huge consideration under his tenure in order to promote responsible journalism. He added that the new found freedom must be utilized by journalists in a responsible manner and within the confinement of the journalism ethics.
He thanked his predecessor Nfamara Jawneh and the former executive in general for their efforts during the past 3 years.
This marked the fifth Congress since YJAG came to being in 2007. The Congress was coincidentally celebrated with the 9th Year Anniversary of the association.
