Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambia Press Union (GPU) is preparing for a potential confrontation with the government over a controversial policy that seeks to license and accredit journalists, as well as regulate broadcast and online content creators in the country.
The union has called an emergency meeting scheduled for Wednesday at its secretariat in Banjul, where media stakeholders are expected to take a unified and firm position against the policy, which has drawn widespread criticism from journalists, civil society organizations, and advocates of press freedom.
According to the GPU, the move comes amid growing concern over what it describes as a “much discredited” regulatory framework being advanced by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the government body tasked with implementing the policy.
Despite mounting public outcry over the potential threat the measures pose to freedom of expression and media independence, the GPU said PURA proceeded to publish the proposed regulations for public consultation on its website on April 1 without any formal public announcement that would allow stakeholders to effectively engage with the process.
PURA is also planning a validation exercise for the documents from April 13 to 16 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.
In a notice inviting stakeholders to Wednesday’s meeting, the GPU said the gathering aims to rally industry players to adopt a common, industry-wide position against what it described as a planned state regulation of journalism and digital content.
The meeting will bring together leaders of various journalists’ associations—including NEPA, BAG, GOMA, WOJAG, YJAG, SJAG, NCRG, NAC, and AOHJ—as well as media executives and representatives of the Media Council of The Gambia.
“Owing to the GPU’s initial rejection of this regulatory process over concerns on press freedom, media independence, freedom of expression, and the right to information, you are being invited to an urgent meeting… to rally industry players for a common, industry-wide position on the planned state regulation,” the union stated.
The GPU has already voiced strong opposition to the proposed National Press Accreditation Policy and the Broadcasting and Online Content Regulations 2025.
In a recent interview with West Coast Radio, GPU Secretary General Modou Joof argued that there is no legal basis for PURA to regulate journalistic content beyond broadcasting.
According to him, the regulator’s mandate does not extend to the accreditation of journalists or the regulation of online media platforms.
Joof described the two policy documents as deeply problematic and warned they could undermine the country’s hard-won democratic freedoms.
“The two documents put together do not protect press freedom. They are not in the interest of the public, and they are not in the interest of promoting media independence,” he said.
He further argued that the proposals represent one of the most troubling attempts to regulate the media sector since the controversial Media Commission Bill 2002, which faced strong resistance from journalists and civil society at the time.
As tensions rise ahead of the scheduled stakeholder meeting and the government’s planned validation forum later in April, the GPU’s mobilization signals the possibility of a broader confrontation between the country’s media community and authorities over the future of press freedom in The Gambia.
Leave a Reply