The four-day training of 30 journalists drawn from both print and electronic media houses in The Gambia, organized by Media Agenda and funded by Unesco – Natcom recently  ended at Tango conference hall in Bakau.

The training is part of activities and commitments of Unesco’s programme from 2008 to 2013 medium term strategies to assist its member countries build capacities of information and communication professionals, to create, disseminate and preserve information and knowledge, while upholding high ethical and professional standards.

Ousman Yaboe, director general of Tango, descried the four-day training as a laudable initiative by Media Agenda and Natcom with support from Unesco.  He spoke at length on the role of journalists in the development of any given society.

He then urged journalists to resolve and cooperate  in accordance with the code of conduct governing their operation. “Without information, there cannot be any development and information of any kind has to be authentic for consumption” he said. He then urged Media Agenda and Unesco, to maintain their support in building the capacities of media practitioners.

Maimuna Sidibeh, who deputised for secretary general of Natcom, Sukai Bojang, assured her office’s readiness to support media practitioners in The Gambia through capacity building. She expressed profound gratitude to the participants on behalf of Unesco Head Office in Paris through Natcom. She revealed that the training is the beginning of series of training programmes her office embarked on.  

Madi Ceesay, director general of Media Agenda, assured journalists of his institution’s readiness towards building the capacities of Gambian journalists.  Mr Ceesay thanked participants for responding to their invitation and expressed hope that the training will impact on their performance.

Binta Fatty, reporter from The Point Newspaper, delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of the participants.