The Gambia
Press Union (GPU) said Sunday that it welcomes the decision by President Yahya
Jammeh to lift the ban on two media houses, that were closed in 2012.
Teranga FM, a community radio station based in Sinchu Alagie village in the Kombo North district of the West Coast Region, and The Standard, a private daily newspaper, were ordered to cease operations in August and September 2012 respectively.
In a statement issued Sunday, the union said ‘‘this progressive move will undoubtedly pave a way for the proprietor of Teranga FM and the publisher of The Standard newspaper to partake in the socio-economic development of the country, and as well as employ young Gambians to earn a livelihood.
‘‘In same spirit of the New Year, we wish to call on the Gambian leader to allow the remaining closed newspaper, The Daily News, to also resume operation.
‘‘We wish the Gambia leader, the first family and the entire country a happy New Year,’’ the union added.
The government on New Year’s Eve announced the lifting of the ban on Teranga FM and The Standard newspaper.
‘‘The Office of the President is pleased to inform the general public that the ban on Standard Newspaper and Teranga FM has been lifted with immediate effect, as a goodwill gesture for the New Year,’’ the presidency said in a statement.
‘‘They are free to operate, but the two institutions are urged to operate within the framework of the laws governing the media in this country. We wish all media houses and the general public a happy New Year,’’ the statement added.
Also closed alongside The Standard newspaper was The Daily News, but its re-opening was not mentioned in the government statement.
