2020 Award Winners
Agriculture
Reporting Award
Economist Faults Army’s Commercial Agric Project, says it will Endanger Democracy by Kebba Ansu Manneh, Published on The Chronicle on 22
May 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ comments
This is a well written newspaper story focused on a
particular issue. i.e. the army’s intention to engage in agriculture and from
the perspective of a single source, i.e. an economist. However, the reporter
did well to obtain one external source (GCCI) to enhance the balance.
The reporter could have indeed sought many more sources to
further improve the presentation, originality and angling of the story.
Environment
Reporting Award
Kombo South: From Fighting to Save Environment to Fighting For Survival by Mustapha K. Darboe.
Published on Kerr Fatou on 2nd August 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ comments
This story is found to be a well written piece with a good story
telling format.
The approach and angle of the story is great, and the information
provided is strong with the required arguments, counter arguments and a broad
perspective given of the impact of mining in the different mining sites in the
country. Experts and relevant stakeholders were all featured.
Human Rights
Reporting
Faraba Bantang: a cry of justice metwith silence by Mustapha K. Darboe. Published on Kerr Fatou on 20 October 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ comments
This is a newspaper report about the Faraba incident
one year later. It is an investigative report on the state of affairs after the
conclusion of the Faraba Commission in terms of the implementation of the
recommendations and life after the incident. The reporter did well to bring out
the real issues as well as the mood of the people. By going to the community,
the story captured the feelings and scenery of the life of a community ravaged
by a painful encounter never experienced by them. The angling, presentation,
originality and public benefit of the story are not only appropriate, but they
indeed take the reader right into the hearts and minds of the victims as to
create such level of empathy that they deserve. It is a excellent story about a
community.
Legal
Affairs Reporting
Will Fatou Bensouda face the Truth Commissionin Gambia? By Mustapha K. Darboe. Published on Kerr Fatou on 11th
July 2019.
Read the Story HERE.
Judges’ comments
This is a newspaper report about the ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda who was a state counsel under Jammeh at a time when severe right violations happened including right to fair trial. The story is well written with a huge news value given the issues and the person involved within the current transitional justice program. The angling, presentation, originality and public benefit are appropriate. There is huge effort and initiative by the reporter to tediously research and obtain relevant information.
Women
and Children Reporting
Maternal Mortality by Mariama Cham. Broadcast on
Choice FM 106.4 on 24th October 2019.
Listen to the story HERE.
Judges’ comments
This entry has all the elements that is required for a
radio production. Different stakeholders were interviewed to throw light
on the issue, from testimonies of family members who lost their loved ones to
health officials and ordinary citizens. However, the use of language by the
producer in her presentation, coupled with some limitations in pronunciation is
the only weak areas of the radio piece presented. It will be good that
she works on language, does more reading and practice to improve her diction
for good radio programming.
Business
and Finance Reporting
A BIG Chunk of Gambia’s 2020 budget goes to debt repayment Experts believe this is not encouraging Economic growth by
Muhammed S. Bah. Published in FOROYAA on 27th December 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ Comments
The writing style and pattern is
similar to the other 2 runners up however the clarity and simplicity of the
written piece which makes it easy for one to read and understand the economic
concepts gave it a slight edge.
Investigative and Features Writing Award
Gambia: D1.8 billion project awarded without due diligence by Mustapha K. Darboe published in Kerr Fatou on 29.09.2019
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ Comments
Overall, ten submissions were entered for this
category. All of the entries were beautifully written with a futuristic
character, but no investigation done. For example, most of the stories wrote
about an interesting topic and presented it in feature form but the information
contained therein are obtain from open sources or some random interviews. This
is not considered to be investigative reporting.
The winning entry has both feature and
investigative characteristics and found to be worthy of an award. The
angling is very accurate and thoughtful. The story is also newsworthy
considering significant public funds have been ‘inappropriately’ spent without
due diligence.
It gave lots of direct quotations
and provides many useful documentary evidences. The grammar and style of
presentation is good and clear. The story is investigative, very original in
context and scope. It is considered to be of great public benefit. Taxpayers
money to the tune of billion Dalasis spent with ‘inappropriately’ This story
delves into state misuse of public funds and potentials for corruption.
Sports
Reporting Award
The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Cricket in The Gambia by Omar Jarju published in The Chronicle on April 1. 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ Comments
The story has a good angle and is newsworthy. The
focus on the different stages of the development of cricket gives the story
additional weight. The story is accuracy and factual with multiple interviews
and quotation from sources. Well-presented and researched. The story is
original, well researched with multiple quotations and interviews. The story
takes account of the stand of cricket sports in The Gambia and gauged opinions
of the people on it. The story has significant benefit for the populace
particularly cricket fans.
Health
and Medical Reporting
The successes & challenges of Bansang Hospital by Alieu
Ceesay, QTV, aired 9 Nov. 2019.
Watch the story HERE.
Judges’ Comments
This is an Interesting story on health decentralization matters
and what other major hospitals face, especially in a key area in CRR and also
catering to the URR. The story is factual, and research was made to get
accurate information from authorities involved. Well-articulated, Grammar was
decent, and style of reporting was relatable. Story in local and original; not
reacting to an event but picking up a hospital that needs public attention
about its affairs. The story provided a balanced perspective of the Bansang
hospital which will allow viewers to see the challenges, benefits and
understand the process of its operations.
Migration
Reporting
Repatriated Yet Not Reintegrated written by Alagie
Manneh, published in The Standard on Dec. 31 2019.
Read the story HERE.
Judges’ Comments
The story is newsworthy: It highlights the challenges
faced by returnees who go pass the age of 35 and where they can benefit from
reintegration programs. The story sought adequate sources for the article. Therefore,
much accuracy was sought. The grammar is decent, the style of writing was not
too professional in some instances, perhaps writer wanted to add humor.
Presentation was too long. The story is a good attempt to stay original,
looking into reintegration gaps and desperation and causes of irregular
migration. The story is relevant in allowing the public to see the challenges
and yet existing desperation and societal burden young people face with very
limited support. The government and stakeholders can see from a story like this
the needs for more efforts towards existing gaps in tackling irregular
migration.
This category saw two story disqualifications: both
stories were found to be in breach of submission rules. One was rejected
because it was considered to be a product of a foreign media outlet and the
other was published on a platform outside The Gambia.
SPECIAL
COVID-19 Reporting
Loss of D6.7 Billion Looms overDeserted Paradise by Mustapha K. Darboe, Malagen; published on 7th May 2020.
Read the story HERE.
This is a very well written
newspaper story. It has all the hallmarks of a solid work of journalism. It is
fair and balanced and well presented, and clearly original. There has been
great effort and initiative to produce this story. It is indeed an excellent
work of professionalism.
Journalist of The Year Award 2020
Mustapha K. Darboe.
Mustapha K. Darboe has been chosen not only because of
the number of categories he has won. His submissions are found to have been
well researched and presented for easy understanding. The stories show that he
puts in a lot of effort and work into getting them, and they are found to be
newsworthy, relevant and impactful.
GPU Special Awards 2020
This year, the GPU executive unanimously award two Gambian women; Amie Joof-Cole and Fatou Jagne-Senghor for their many years of outstanding contribution and support to journalists and media development.
Amie Joof-Cole
Amie
Joof-Cole is a veteran Gambian journalist, gender and women’s rights activist,
and communication and election expert. She is the Executive Director of the
Inter-African Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development (FAMEDEV).
As freedom
of expression and press freedom advocate, she presided over the establishment
of the online Radio Alternative Voice for Gambians (also known as Radio AVG)
about a decade ago in Dakar, Senegal to give alternative voice to Gambians at a
time when voices in The Gambia were suppressed. Radio AVG provided opportunity
to young Gambian journalists in exile in Dakar to make their voices heard from
across the border, as well as develop their professional skills in broadcast
journalism.
On many
occasions, Amie Joof-Cole risked her safety and those of her family by giving
shelter to Gambian journalists who fled to Dakar for exile especially during
the last fifteen years of the former regime. She stood and spoke for those
journalists in their country of exile and across the world.
Amie
Joof-Cole spent decades mentoring and guiding journalists. Many of those
journalists went on to become accomplished media practitioners. She remains a
champion of media development and press freedom.
Fatou Jagne-Senghore
Fatou
Jagne-Senghore is a legal specialist and human rights advocate with more than
20 years’ experience, specialised in the African regional human rights system,
media regulation, broadcasting laws, digital rights and access to information.
Currently
working for Article19 as West Africa Director, she led campaign and advocacy
initiatives for more than a decade to expose the appalling human rights
situation of the Gambia before the African Commission on Human and Peoples
Rights (ACHPR) and other international human rights bodies during the former
regime.
Over the
years, Fatou Jagne-Senghore co-authored reports, publications and contributed
to setting up of programmes and initiatives to support persecuted journalists
and human rights defenders in Tunisia before the Jasmine revolution and for the
Gambia before the end of the repressive regime.
She has worked on policies, advising and providing technical support to
governments and regulators on the implementation of legislative reforms to foster
freedom of expression and access to information.
During the
former regime, Fatou Jagne-Senghore provided both sanctuary and livelihood to
Gambian journalists who fled to Senegal for exile. As champion of freedom of
expression, she stood and fought for the media and freedom of express, and amplified
the voice of journalists.
Fatou Jagne-
Senghore received many distinctions and awards for her work for freedom of
expression. These include the
National Order of Merit by the President of France in April 2018 in
recognition of her human rights’ work especially in the Gambia. In 2019, she
was named in inaugural list of the100
Most Influential African Women by Advance Media.