Human Rights Advocate Urges Gambian Information Minister to Prioritize Media Policy Over Content Regulation

By Makutu Manneh

A prominent human rights defender, Madi Jobarteh, has called on The Gambia’s Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, to concentrate on establishing fair conditions for the country’s media sector rather than taking on roles he said blur the line between policymaking and content production.

Speaking on the Kerr Fatou Show, Mr. Jobarteh criticized a government proposal that would introduce registration and licensing requirements for journalists and social media users, arguing that it risked expanding state authority into areas that should remain free from political control.

He said the initiative reflected a misunderstanding of the minister’s mandate. “The minister is attempting to give himself and the government powers they do not have,” he said.

Mr. Jobarteh also pointed to concerns about public broadcasting, citing findings by the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice -an organization he heads—that the Gambia Radio and Television Services had, over the past year, failed to adequately cover opposition political parties. Addressing such gaps, he said, should be a central priority for the information ministry in a country with a history of contested media freedom.

“We need a minister who will commit to building a better republic and clearly define the role of public media,” he said, adding that state-owned outlets such as The Gambia Daily should have been developed into fully functioning national newspapers.

He argued that the minister’s role should be confined to policy formulation, institutional strengthening, and ensuring a level playing field across the media landscape, rather than acting as what he described as a content producer or social media influencer.

Mr. Jobarteh also urged the government to consider frameworks that would allow digital content creators, including TikTokers, YouTubers, and Facebook users, to better benefit from their work as part of broader efforts to adapt media policy to the digital age.