Speaking during a stakeholder engagement at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul on Tuesday, the minister said the Ministry of Information plays a critical role in promoting democratic values including transparency and accountability.
He said the Gambia’s young, connected and digitally active population is eager for change but often frustrated by the slow pace of bureaucratic systems which are characteristic of democratic governance.
In such transitions, he said, there is often a mismatch between public expectations and the operational pace of government institutions but emphasised that the ministry is working to close this gap by making government information accessible and timely.
He stated President Barrow has made it clear that the public must be informed not only about the achievements of the government but also about the challenges it faces, adding that no government is perfect and that even the most advanced democracies deal with continuous challenges.
The minister said policies must be developed in response to the real needs of the people – which he said requires open communication and regular feedback between government and the public.
He outlined that the Ministry’s strategic pillars are centered on promoting accessibility and transparency through both policy and practice.
Among the initiatives he highlighted, is the Ministerial Town Hall series where sector ministers are invited to interface with the public and answer questions about their work
He also stated that more than 80 percent of ministries have participated in the first round of the town halls which will conclude by the end of October and resume again in January.
Another initiative is the monthly press conference which brings key ministries, departments and agencies to meet with the media and share updates while taking questions from journalists.
The minister also announced a new initiative called Sunu Rew which will take the town hall format to provincial regions and community spaces to reach rural populations and ensure they are informed about government projects and services.
He warned about the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation in the digital space, describing it as one of the greatest threats of this generation.
He said the ministry is partnering with stakeholders to establish a center that will use artificial intelligence to track and counter disinformation online.
He held while AI can be a threat it can also be a tool and the ministry intends to use it to safeguard the public against misleading content.
The minister also spoke about the ongoing effort to transition from analog to digital broadcasting, a move he described as a revolution for the country’s media landscape.
He said the government is seeking partners to help fully implement digital broadcasting and improve media infrastructure nationwide.
On policy development, he disclosed that the country currently lacks a national communications policy and a national information policy both of which are being drafted by the ministry.
He said the Access to Information Act has been passed and the ATI Commission launched but there are still no clear classifications to guide which information is public, confidential or restricted and the ministry is working to address that gap.
