Wednesday, June 22, 2011

IFJ FUNDS GPU'S TRIENNIAL CONGRESS

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA (MB)- The Gambia Press Union, GPU will on Sunday hold its Triennial Congress at GTMI, Kanifing, only fully paid member will be allow to vote and be voted for into executive positions. The new executives-nine (9) to be usher into office of the union will take over the affairs of the union for the next three years.
 The congress dubbed 'STRENGHTENING THE GPU'; A Detailed analysis of the past, current situation, ACTIONS TO confront future challenges.
This year's congress is funded by International Federation of Journalism (IFJ) at a tune of $ 5640 dollars. According to explanations by the Executive Director, Mr. Ahmed Alota, at the union's general meeting held last Saturday at the GPU headquarters in Bakau.

This revelations came when Mansabanko Blog Publisher, Mamadou Edrisa Njie asked about the source of funding for the congress, in reply Mr. Alota as he is fondly called says " we wrote a project proposal to IFJ seeking for funding for the union's capacity building and congress, they send us the said amount."
He adds: " we send a proposal of $8150 dollars but they only give us 4000 Euro which is equivalent to $5640 dollars," while hanging in the balance about the financial status of the union but was quick to say  the only source of funding for the union is its printing machine and membership dues.
This year's congress, will be a history in the annals of the union, as some active members of the union are campainging for positions for themselves to be usher in the new executive. This, to many is a good move as the current.
 Mansabanko Blog also confirnmed that about four groups has already been set-up, all earning for positions and many were made to understand that being an union executive member of the union, one could easily travel to other parts of the world, and allowances from some of the current projects.
This camps, Mansabanko can say is not the first time to happen in the electroal cycle of the union, as the same thing happens during the last congress which was held in March 2008 at the President Interantional Award Scheme in Bakau. It could be recalled that on the day of the congress, the place was mounted with high presence of security guards (Private Security).
 Day one- Friday June 24 at 10:00 to 10:30 will be the opening ceremony.The opening statement, according the programme guide the welcome remarks will be deliver by Ndey Tapha Sosseh President of GPU. But sources inside GPU confirmed that Ndey Tapha Sosseh will not grace the ocassion saying that on several ocassions, her name will appear on the programme list but she will be represented.Mr. Emil Touray secretary general of GPU will give overview of the three days programme to be followed by the Chair, Ahmed Alota, GPU Coordinator.
 As part of activities marking the event, a capacity building programme will be organized by the union on Friday, 24th and Saturday, 25th June 2011. This will be followed by the congress on Sunday, 26th June, 2011.




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