GPU giving Gambian journalists a shot in the arm

Another round of training of journalists on election reporting has been concluded, and we would like to congratulate and thank the Gambia Press Union for the extraordinary steps taken by the executive to ensure such a training course was conducted.

While the initiative demonstrates  how the Gambia Press Union is treading responsibly and ensuring a peaceful Gambia through professional reporting of various shades of happenings, including conduct of elections, the training course also continues to hone and edify Gambian journalists’ reporting skills as they discharge their civic responsibility in society.

Being au fait with the tools of reporting elections is the starting point of good and objective reporting, as well as laying of the foundation for shaping up peaceful elections in the country.

In his presentation before the closing ceremony of the training, GPU secretary general Saikou Jammeh said the role of the press in election process is not to preserve a bad status quo, but to ensure an atmosphere of peace and justice for all. He admonished journalists to be able to have the interest, values and the talents to be in the profession; otherwise such a person must not go in for journalism.

We must, therefore, applaud the GPU and supporting institutions and bodies like the UNDP, who have continued to support and complement efforts at attaining free, fair and peaceful elections in The Gambia.

And one way of doing this is through the training of journalists to keep them climbing the ladder of learning.

As we practise, which is the hardest part of learning, we should continue to train ourselves to continually transform and progress in our profession, in order to discharge our journalistic responsibilities in such a way as to make this country and, indeed, the world a better place for all.

“Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.”