Ousman Sonko, secretary of state for the Interior, has stated his department’s commitment to support young journalists in The Gambia. He made these remarks, on Wednesday, during a courtesy call paid to him by executive members of the newly formed Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG), at his office in Banjul.

According to the SoS, his department is responsible for  internal security, and as such it will always cooperate to develop media-security relations, noting that the media is an important partner in national development.

The aim of the visit, among other things, was to establish and strengthen a cordial relationship between the Interior Department, the body responsible for internal security, to create awareness about YJAG’s role ahead of the official launching of the association, slated for February.

For his part, Demba Kandeh, secretary general of YJAG, spoke on the reasons behind the initiative of the association. According to him, the association was initiated to embrace the challenges young journalist in the country face in terms of capacity building, more particularly to ensure security-media relation among others.

According to Famara Jawneh, YJAG’s president, the formation of the association was aimed at the key objectves of addressing issues affecting young journalists in the country and also to see how best some of these issues could be addressed. He then confirmed that they are legally operating as the association was registered with the AG Chambers last year. He also emphasised the importance of media-security ties.

The YJAG president extended an invitation to SoS Sonko to grace the association’s launching which is scheduled for February 8th at the NaNa conference hall in Bakau.

SoS Sonko assured them that “my doors are always opened to your organisation, I will be ready to listen to your concerns and to give you support. I see journalists as partners in development,” he said. He then advised the young journalists to always confirm their stories and always make sure that they get clear sources and balance their stories.

SOS Sonko, in his capacity, pledged his support to the security of “journalists who are ready to contribute to national development.”

Present at the ceremony were Yaya Sireh Jallow, permanent secretary, Department of State for Interior, Musa Ndow, 1st vice president of YJAG, and Fatoumatta Drammeh of KWT Radio delivered the vote of thanks.