Mariaa Njie & Musu Bojang
As the Gambia joins the world to commemorate World Press Freedom today, journalists calls for better working conditions to put an end to precarious working conditions, low wages, a lack of employment contracts, while almost all 95% Gambian journalists lacked occupational safety and health.
This year’s theme, “Information as a Public Good”, serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good. However, the Gambia Press Union has adopted a local theme: ‘Safety of Journalists is Imperative for Credibility of Elections’.
Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Over the past one and half year, journalists expressed how, like other professions, the COVID-19 pandemic are having a negative impact on their earnings. From the onset of the outbreak in the country, media workers have been particularly vulnerable and few journalists have been infected by the infection, despite no deaths have been reported.
In an executive with GPU Vice President Muhammed Bah, stated that the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day or just World Press Day.
He said the day is set aside to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in Windhoek in 1991.
According to him, Gambian journalists fought very hard for the press freedom partly enjoy today especially the past leaders which some were killed, tortured, arrested and prosecuted and media houses shutdown.
He pointed out that despite progresses made on press freedom, journalists are still abuse, saying for the past four years Gambia Press Union has recorded 13 abuses cases of attack on journalists and this were done by politicians and their supporters.
He urged the government to repeal all draconian laws and also the National Assembly to fast track the enactment before the parliament.
However, Yunus S Saliu, freelance journalist said that the situation of press freedom in the Gambia is still appalling. “Journalists and media practitioners in this country expected journalists to be treated better than the situation we are facing today in the Gambia,” he said.
Saliu added that “We are still facing frequent attacks from members of the public in particular military personnel and politicians.”
He stressed that despite been in a democracy era it is still difficult to have access to relevant information in this country.
“ When they recognize that you are pressing for any information, in any of the government offices, the next thing is to demand for a letter saying you have to follow protocol even if you follow the protocol the another way out or respond from them is ‘we will get back to you’ or ‘we will definitely give you a call.”
Therefore, press freedom in The Gambia is by mouth not by action, he said.
In addition, he said World Press Freedom Day is not just important to only him or journalists alone but it is important because it is an exceptional day to everyone as regarding to democracy, freedom of speech and among other rights that people should enjoy in their nations.
As a journalist, the day is also important as it is reiterate the fundamental principles of press freedom around the world and especially in our country, The Gambia taking into consideration the local theme chosen by the GPU for the celebration this year.
Numo Darboe, keen follower of news stories in The Gambia said he has been reading newspapers for so many years and looking at the situation it is like the media has more freedom compare to the former regime as journalists report on all aspects.
He also urges the nation to respect journalists as they serve as mediators between society and the government.