Landing Ceesay
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the newly appointed Information Minister, conducted his first press conference, affirming his commitment to forge a strong partnership with the media to serve the Gambia’s best interests.
Dr. Ceesay underscored his commitment to reset and strengthen the bond between the government and the press, emphasizing the importance of transparent and timely information dissemination.
“We want to reset the button of the relationship between us and the media. We don’t want to have any barriers with the media. We want to work with them closely for the public’s interest. We want to ensure that there is no vacuum anymore as far as information is concerned. Because when there is a vacuum, this can precipitate instances where misinformation and disinformation is disseminated, and that is not good for anyone.
Reflecting on historical tragedies sparked by misinformation, he highlighted the need for proactive engagement and information exchange between the government and the media. The Ministry of Information, under his leadership, announced plans for regular press briefings to keep both journalists and the public abreast of government activities and priorities.
“Countries have been burnt down because of that. In 1994, Rwanda went for genocide because of misinformation and disinformation. A single radio and a single radio broadcast sent information that was so false that the whole country descended into genocide. Gambia is a peaceful country, Gambia is a stable country, in fact, Gambia has been tapped as one of the most peaceful countries in the sub-region,” Dr. Ceesay told Journalists.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Information held a press briefing to outline its plan for disseminating information about the government’s activities in The Gambia. This briefing marked the inaugural one since Dr. Ismaila Ceesay took on the role of Minister of Information.
Dr. Ceesay, during the briefing, delved into the reasons behind initiating the press conference and highlighted the crucial role of the Ministry in strengthening the nation’s democracy.
“There has been significant democratic gain since 2016. The role of this ministry is to help consolidate that gain. That is why we are calling on this press conference today to inform you that now we will be having periodic press conferences at least every two weeks. To inform the media and the general public as to what is happening in government, what are government priorities, what projects are going on, what projects have been completed, what are the activities and so on.
“We want to have a proactive approach to information dissemination, not only proactive but a two-way approach. We are not only getting information from the government to the people but also doing a series of consultation meetings, outreaches, and two hall meetings. We will be getting information from the public to the government as well. This is where the media comes in, we see you as critical partners in this endeavour. We cannot work without the media and the media cannot work without the Ministry of Information and the Gambia government in general,” Dr. Ceesay lamented.
The Information Ministry has launched its website with the aim of centralizing government activities, including those of the Office of the President.
According to the Ministry of Information, this website is designed to facilitate journalists’ access to information, thereby simplifying their work.
Dr. Ceesay assured journalists of his ministry’s commitment to strengthening the relationship between the media and the Gambian government.
Emphasizing the crucial role of the media in disseminating information, especially regarding government activities, Dr. Ceesay highlighted his ongoing engagement with media proprietors since assuming office.
“I met the TV provider’s proprietors, yesterday I met the Newspaper publishers, I met the social media owners this afternoon, and I met the radio station owners both commercial and community, just to emphasize the important role you are going to play. So, going forward, we will be engaging you constantly on a sustained basis to ensure that the information is passed to the general public.
He further stated, “So the Ministry is ready, our doors are open like the PS has said, we are the gateway. I know sometimes it can be a challenge getting information, but see us as partners and every information you need just channel to the Ministry of Information. And we will do as best as possible to engage the technical ministries to get you that information to the best of our ability,” Dr. Ceesay asserted.
The newly appointed Information Minister reiterated his commitment to promoting transparency and fostering open dialogue with journalists. This press conference marks one of several opportunities for meaningful interaction and the exchange of vital information.