As Dida Halake Takes Over

Barely two weeks to his reinstatement after having been fired Dr. Saja Taal, Managing Director of the Daily Observer Company, was once again given his marching orders yesterday afternoon, The Point has gathered. The apparently distraught Dr. Taal, who hung up the phone on our reporter when he tried to confirm the story, told the reporter to contact the Daily Observer as he switched off his phone.

Meanwhile our sources have it that Mr. Dida Abdi Jallow- Halake, previously named for the position on Dr. Taal’s initial removal, has been appointed to step into the shoes of Mr. Taal.

In his reaction to the appointment Mr. Halake, who flew into the country few days ago from the United Kingdom, said the Daily Observer is an important news institution in The Gambia. “The motherland of my three children, and I am most humbled and honoured to have been chosen to head it. I hope that my young staff at the Daily Observer will rejuvenate the tradition on this paper and re-establish its pre-eminent position. It goes without saying the Daily Observer admires and supports the work of President Jammeh and the APRC but our motto is “Forward with The Gambia.

“Like the elected president of the country, the Daily Observer is here for all Gambians and we wish to work co-operatively with all media houses since we share the same profession. I have had a Gambian wife and three children, and I have been coming to The Gambia since 1992 and I have had a compound in Kotu for the last 12 years,” he revealed.

Mr Halake also seized the opportunity to proffer more facts about himself, saying: “I am a 51-year-old Kenya of Ethiopian origin, and I am by profession a teacher and have taught in Scotland and England where I qualified since 1986. My commitment to education resulted into excellent large library at Kotu Senior Secondary School which my group from UK built.”

On his plans for the future, he said that he hoped to continue contributing to the excellent development of “this wonderful and peaceful country, Inshallah.”

Meanwhile in his first decision as MD Mr. Halake has appointed Ebrima Jaw Manneh, a young journalist serving as an editor as deputy Editor-in-Chief. Mr. Jaw Manneh has been at the Observer for many years during which he rose through the ranks. It could be recalled that Dr. Taal was first booted out on 16th of October only to be reinstated on 18th of the same month.