This event held on a low key ceremony was meant to encourage Journalists across West and Central Africa to promote ethical and informative migration journalism.
Winners included In the Radio Category, Sankulay Janko of WADR came 1st, 2nd and 3rd Position, Print and Digital Media category, Alhagie F. Manneh of the Standards Newspaper won 1st Position, Sanna Camara Freelance Journalist won 2nd and 3rd Position, Television Category Famara Badjie of GRTS, Momodou Gajaga of QTV Gambia won 2nd, and Ebrima N. Sanneh of GRTS won 3rd position while Ndey Sowe of Foroyaa Newspaper, Yusel Taylor of Gainako Online and Agie Bintou Drammeh on QTV where equally mention and recognised.
Congratulating the winners, The European Migration Liaison Officer to The Gambia, Ms Bosnjakovic, in a statement, praised the work and professional standards of journalists towards the communication on migration has seen a complete turnaround compared to previous years.
Senior Journalist Sanna Camara who won the 2nd and 3rd bests in Print and Digital Media Category. wrote on his facebook page, To fellow migration reporters, I salute your dedication, dynamism and hard work. Ours is more complex a specialization that keeps evolving each day. We are further challenged by new trends in migration each year, caused by wars, instability, natural disasters, search for greener pastures and climate change. Sanna stressed.
He also extend appreciation to IOM for this recognition as It serves a great motivation for us to be recognized for our services to the Gambian people and humanity.
We will not relent in this endeavor to give the public fair, accurate and balanced reporting on migration in all it's forms. We will aspire to maintain highest standards of reporting and excellence in this work.
Momodou Gajaga News Anchor and Reporter at QTV Gambia, second position on the TV Category told this medium that, his motivation to report on Migration includes having friends, relatives and neighbors who are migrants in several parts of Europe narrating their ordeals and encounters that he though should the known to other so as to reduce the menace.
He noted “ I listened to their stories, often the bad ones, but as well their success stories”. is has a huge impact in my country's economic and human resource capital. Gajaga vowed to do his best to do more stories on migration to raise awareness about it's impact on our society.
Reacting to his award, Sankulay Janko of West Africa Democracy Radio came 1st, 2nd and 3rd Position In the Radio Category, say the biggest motivation for about migration reporting is seeing his fellow Gambian brothers and sisters embarking on Irregular Migration been the biggest desperation for anyone knowing fully well that he or she may never come back. Therefore constant reporting will help Gambians and non Gambians to explore the regular migration channel as well as opportunities available in the country.
He added that, “winning the award but equally Well for I'm not too concerned about awards really. Seeing my Gambian brothers making informed choices about migration is the biggest award”.
In an interview with Sunurew Online, Alhagie F Manneh of the Standard Newspaper won the 1st place in print and digital media category said he felt a personal need to set the record straight on migration issues by effectively interrogating issues that underpin it including the push factors in the case of Gambian youths, therefore he is passionate and motivated to accurately cover these issues especially as they affect the lives of Gambian youths. He also indicated that the communication on migration has not always been a positive one, and often left more doubt than clarity.
Alagie also felt honored because It means the little works that some of us have been doing have impacted in one way or another the lives or livelihoods of many Gambian youths, and provided a clear path towards solving our collective problems as a country.
Mr. Manneh emphasis that Aluta Continua! It’s a life long stuff - journalism. Therefore, we are resolved now more than ever before to expound on migration and migration related issues by effectively and accurately reporting on them.
Agie Bintou Drammeh of QTV expressed gratitude to IOM for the recognition which is a tap on her back. said, her dedication to migration reporting came after seeing young people having the belief that travelling abroad is the only way to achieve one’s ambitions. She went on, young people failing to understand the pressure their peers put on them therefore causing the mass movement of our youthful population.
BY: Biram S Jobe