By Makutu Manneh
The Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, said the government will hold further consultations on proposed broadcasting and online media regulations, emphasizing that the process would not move forward without broad agreement from key stakeholders.
Speaking in an interview with Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), Dr. Ceesay said the draft regulations remained under review and that authorities were seeking continued engagement with media actors before any final decision is made.
“It is not in anybody’s interest to have a document passed without the buy-in of major stakeholders,” he said, adding that the government was “doing further consultations on the document.”
Pressed on what enforcement would look like for those who might resist compliance if the regulations are adopted, Dr. Ceesay said the focus remained on dialogue. “Before the document is passed, we want to make sure we figure it out with everybody,” he said.
He noted that the government had already invited stakeholders for discussions, but some had declined to participate. “We call for dialogue; they refuse to come. We are calling again for a dialogue. We are doing further consultations on the document,” he said. “We want to have a dialogue with them; we want to discuss with them.”
Dr. Ceesay acknowledged that the draft framework was still a work in progress. “It is not perfect; that is why we are calling for a dialogue to discuss it,” he said.
He added that the initiative was intended to improve regulation in the media sector through consultation rather than confrontation. “The document is my idea as a regulator to regulate the sector; it is for everybody to come and see what is possible through dialogue and discussions,” he said. “Boycotts are not the solution.”
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