WAJA Project Coordinator Hails The Gambia In an Exclusive Interview with Media Agenda.

WAJA’s objective is to build the capacity of its membership in this part of our continent, said Alpha Sall the project Coordinator of the West Africa Journalists Association WAJA, in an exclusive interview with Media Agenda’s Mariama Ceesay.Sall was in Banjul from the 28-31 July 2008 conducting training for 30 Gambian journalists in skills improvement workshop in collaboration with The Gambia Press Union (GPU).

He told the MA, that WAJA signed a four project with the ACBF some one year ago and the project is in full blossom implementing its plans of action which is basically training journalists in the region. We are aiming at training journalist of all cadre, be it investigative, sport, health and all others specialties of journalism. Association did discover that there some of our members who are weak in other disciplines of our profession so the need for such a project.

Asked how many countries have the project conducted training of this kind, Sall said we have conducted training in eight countries namely: Senegal, Sierra Leone, Niger, Burkina Faso, Bissau, The Gambia and Liberia. As you may know we are 15 countries so we are only half way. We will be in Banjul again in October of this year, for a regional workshop and at that work shop we hope to give award of excellence to deserving candidates. 

In brief remarks at the closing of the Gambia’s workshop, Coordinator Sall encourage the participants to make good use of the knowledge gained at the workshop and said he was impressed that the Gambia is one of the best in female representation at the WAJA workshops so far.

Madi M.K. Ceesay former president of GPU and current director of Media Agenda who officiated over the closing ceremony told participants that they should work hard to become journalists worth their salts. He call on them to do all what it takes one to become journalist rather than join the lists as most of our critics will say. To do that one has to read and read every thing that you can lay your hands on.

As reporters he told them that their duty is to collect information, put it in order, and deliver it to the reader with accuracy, clarity, simplicity. He concluded by extending the thankfulness of the Gambia Press Union to WAJA as a regional body for their far sightedness. He ended congratulating the participants for what he describe this wonderful achievement.