By GPU Awards Committee
The Gambia Press Union National Journalism Awards Committee hereby announce the nominees for the 2021 Excellence in Journalism Awards. A total of 125 entries have been received this year, of which 108 were submitted via the award committee’s website whilst 17 were received by email. 35 journalists have been shortlisted for awards under the 15 contested categories up for grabs, with female applicants constituting 16 per cent of the nominees whilst their male counterparts represent 84 per cent.
Three award categories namely: TV Platform of the Year, Commercial Radio Station of the Year, and Community Radio Station of the Year will be decided by public vote. Journalist of the Year, on the other hand, will be selected by the judges from amongst the works submitted. No entry was submitted for the Photojournalist category.
Meanwhile, the Gambia Press Union will provide two nominees (individuals and/or institutions) under the special awards category in recognition of their contribution(s) towards press freedom in the country. Also, as part of this year’s awards ceremony, the judges under the chairmanship of veteran journalist Esau Williams will provide a report on the state of journalism in the Gambia based on the works submitted by journalists from across the different media.
Additional Information: www.gpuawards.gm.
2021 AWARDS NOMINEES
Human Rights Reporting
- Yusef Taylor – Gainako. Story Title: NHRC Report: Ali “Killa Ace” Cham and Ousman Darboe
Highlighted, Kebba Secka and Haruna Jatta Omitted - Janjey Touray – GRTS. Story title: Sare Mawdeh
- Alagie Manneh – The Standard. Story Title: Ginack: Paradise Island with no potable water
Business and Finance Reporting Award
- Alieu Ceesay – QTV. Story Title: Global Lockdown on Food Scarcity
- Mustapha K. Darboe – Malagen.com. Story Title: How GNPC under Mambury Njie spent nearly D19m for a Banjul property in a deal ‘susceptible to favouritism’
- Muhammed S. Bah – Foroyaa Newspaper. Story Title: Experts: Government might lose half of its revenue on tax As covid19 seriously hampers Gambian businesses
Sport Reporting Award
- Lamin Fadera – Afri Radio. Story Title: BK Milan defender who struggle with lung, heart and kidney problem
- Pa Barrow – Afri Radio. Story title: Mboge calls on Gambians to back his charges
- Lamin Fadera – Afri Radio. Story title: Gambian international Modou Jobe Goalkeeper (Toldo) shares
experience playing in the Nigerian league
Migration and Human Trafficking Reporting Award
- Kebba Ansu Manneh – The Chronicle. Story Title: Gambia – Lured into return By Yahya Jammeh, Black Africans Dazed With Rejection Of Draft Constitution
- Baboucar Sey – QTV. Story Title: Immigration refutes migrant smuggling allegation
- Mafugi Ceesay – The Standard. Story Title: 45 Gambians await return from Lebanon
Children’s Reporting Award
- Momodou Lamin Choi – QTV News. Story Title: Child orphans tell of Torture, Sexual abuse, Exploitation
- Omar Bah – The Standard. Story Title: Gambian, 16, Arraigned in Senegalese Court
- Muhammed S. Bah – Foroyaa Newspaper. Story Title: Advocates Call For Full Implementation of Ban on FGM To save the Future of the Girl Child
Health and Medical Reporting Award
- Muhammed S. Bah – Foroyaa Newspaper. Story Title: Accessing Health Services for Children A Challenge in Rural Gambia
- Foday Manneh – QTV. Story Title: Basse Hospital: 19 MAternal Deaths
- Kaddy Jawo – The Chronicle. Story Title: The Painful Reality Behind Mental Health in The Gambia
Women’s Reporting Award – Only one nomination-worthy entry in this category.
- Kaddy Jawo – The Chronicle. Story title: The Lost Mothers: Truth About Maternal Deaths in Gambia.
Environment Reporting Award
- Kebba Jeffang – The Chronicle. Story Title: Special report – Bakau, A Gambian fishing town losing territory to coastal erosion
- Mustapha K. Darboe – Malagen.com. Story Title: Gov’t, GACH and Mining for minerals: Where are the $ millions
- Omar Faye – The Chronicle. Story Title: Rising Temperature: Unbearable Heat Breaks into Gambia’s
Winter Season
Legal Affairs Reporting Award – Only one nomination-worthy entry in this category.
- Mustapha K. Darboe – JUSTICE.INFO. Story Title: GAMBIA: THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE – OR
NOT
Travel and Tourism Reporting
- Amina E. Sanyang – GRTS. Story Title: THE TOURISM SECTOR AND THE PANDEMIC
- Kebba Ansu Manneh – The Chronicle. Story Title: Pandemic: When Tourism Workers Laid-off and Families Getting Hungry
- Mustapha K. Darboe – Malagen.com. Story Title: Kunta Kinteh Island: A national treasure in ruins
Agriculture Reporting Award
- Yero S. Bah – Mansa Banko Online. Story Title: Imagine Farming without Soil! Basori Hydroponist Explains
- Omar P. Jallow – QTV. Story Title: Impact of Covid-19 on the 2020 Farming Season
- Yero S. Bah – Mansa Banko Online. Story Title: Commercialization of Cassava Is Our Target- Tom Senghore of Horticulture Unit
Culture, Arts, and Entertainment Reporting Awards
- Oumie Sowe – The Fatu Network. Story Title: The importance and origin of waist beads.
- Baboucar Sey – QTV. Story Title: ‘Nyanchos’ visit Baaria village (Senegal)
- Kebba Jeffang – The Chronicle. Story Title: ART & CULTURE Juffureh after Slavery: A Tale of Forgiveness
and Identity
Political Reporting Award
- Yusef Taylor – Gainako. Story Title: Breaking: Gambia’s National Assembly Kills 2020 Constitution Bill at Second Reading
- Omar Bah – The Standards. Story Title: Niamina West by-election: Is Gambia really transitioning?
- Kaddy Jawo – The Chronicle. Story Title: A Mirage Clouds Government’s 29.1M Relief Package for Students Abroad
Investigative Reporting
- Mustapha K. Darboe – Malagen.com. Story Title: ‘This one I’ll share with my minister’: Fresh bribery scandal hits Fisheries Ministry
- Yusef Taylor – Gainako – Story Title: NHRC & GBA recuse themselves from Police investigation on Ebrima’s Gorgi Mboob Torture Allegations
Editors Note. Gainako Online News reporter Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan has three articles shortlisted in the 2021 Awards. You can find his reports below.
Human Rights Reporting
Political Reporting
Breaking: Gambia’s National Assembly Kills 2020 Constitution Bill at Second Reading
Investigative
NHRC & GBA recuse themselves from Police investigation on Ebrima’s Gorgi Mboob Torture Allegations