By Fatoumatta Baldeh
As part of its mandate of promoting government-citizen dialogue on migration, Office of the Government Spokesperson organised four-day training for traditional communicators in the Central River (CRR) and Lower River Regions (LRR) on Migration Law.
Supported by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in The Gambia with funding from the European Union, the training brought together 30 traditional communicators or “Kanyelengs” in Karantaba Tenda, Sami District, CRR the Njolfen, LRR from the 18th to the 21st July 2022. They were trained on international migration law, dangers of irregular migration, stigma and domestic alternatives.
Speaking on behalf of the Government Spokesperson Ebrima G. Sankareh, the Deputy Government Spokesperson Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, who coordinated and facilitated the training told the traditional communicators that government considers them as relevant partners in development communication; that they should share the knowledge they gained from the training with members of their communities for more impact. He reminded the participants to specifically engage the young people in their community since “Kanyelengs” command customary credibility.
Communication Assistants Sally Jallow and Fatoumatta Mbowe from IOM in The Gambia urged the traditional communicators to disseminate the information gathered from the training through social gatherings in their respective regions.
In his keynote address at the end of the trainings, the newly-appointed Governor of LRR Seedy Lamin Bah advised youths to use legal and safe means to travel.
The trainings were punctuated with performance arts of the traditional communicators, who dramatised the various topics of the trainings.
Participants were awarded certificate of attendance.
A step-down training will be organised in due course.
Prior to engaging the traditional communicators, the Government Spokesperson held similar trainings with students of the University of The Gambia (UTG) School of Journalism and Digital Media (SJDM) in June 2022.
The Spokesperson is the principal mouthpiece and coordinator of the strategic external and internal communications of the executive branch of The Gambia Government as well as provides advisory to the President of the Republic on Diaspora Affairs. He also manages the brand/image of The Gambia Government and producing visibility merchandise for effective government-citizen communication.