Gambian Media Urged To Promote Accountability

he programme officer of the Gambian based Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) has challenged journalists to be dynamic in promoting good governance and accountability in The Gambia.

MadiJobarteh made this call on Thursday while presenting a paper on the role of the media in good governance at the World Press Freedom Day commemorations held at the TANGO Conference Hall, Kanifing.

He said journalists in the Gambia need to bear in mind that governance constitutes a whole environment which the government is part of.

“We are all elements in the governance system,” he stated.

Jobarteh added that the there is growing inequality and high levels of poverty in the Gambia and the government needs to take a rights-based approach to address them.

While emphasising that having access to clean water, sanitation and good health services constitute human rights, Jobarteh called on journalists to hold government agencies accountable, to help enhance transparency and give citizens the possibility to get actively involved in public policy.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Emil Touray, president of the Gambia Press Union, said, like many African countries, there is a lack of accountability in the Gambia and the media has not been instrumental in promoting accountability in government and other sectors of the country.

Touray said: “There is a lack of accountability in the Gambia. Who is questioning why Gamtel/Gamcel keeps on providing poor telecommunication services and why is Comium providing poor services in this small terrain? Who is holding them accountable for the quality of services they are providing us? ”

He added that as social watch dogs; the media has to hold the government and political leaders in the Gambia accountable in the interest of democracy and good governance.

“How is the decision-making process in these political parties and how democratic are they?” he asked.