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February 13 is commemorated annually as World Radio Day, a day set aside to celebrate the importance and contribution of radio and radio workers worldwide. Such commemoration started in 2012 when UNESCO thought it is important to highlight the power of radio and how it has helped enlighten and connect people from across the globe.
This year’s theme is “Radio and Diversity”, highlights the special value of radio in the era of a rapid media revolution and also highlights the fact that radio has its value in every religion, region, and language.
It is an open secret that radio plays an important role in everyone’s life. It is more important in the case of The Gambia where a good number of people depends on radio as a source of information because they don’t know how to read and write.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, ‘Radio has a special value in every community as an easy to access source of media.’
With this in mind, it is prudent that, the government through the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure work with line ministries concern to reopen the radio stations that have been taken off air since January 26, 2020 and as well drop all charges on the four journalists.
I call on Ebrima Sillah, the Information and Communication Infrastructure to delivered a statement to mark the day like he did last year.
I also encourage the Broadcasters Association through the Gambia Press Union to issue a statement if they haven’t done yet because the theme is just apt for The Gambia.
I cannot end without urging the men and women behind the microphone to understand the power of radio and use it wisely.
We must all be concerned because you don’t know who the next victim could be.
It could you, me, your colleague or relative.
Sang Mendy,
Concerned Journalist