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| L-R Jawneh, Saluyman and YJAG President Modou S. Joof |
(The Point) - Sulayman Ceesay, a reporter with the Voice Newspaper, has won the 2012
YJAG Founder President’s Annual Award.
Ceesay,
who also doubles as the treasurer of YJAG, was presented with his prize on
Sunday 16 September 2012 at the Gambia Press Union secretariat in Fajara during
activities marking the 5th anniversary of the association.
The
award, 2nd of its kind, was initiated by the founder president of YJAG in 2011
to encourage members to actively participate in the development of the
association.
In
presenting the award to the winner, Nfamara Jawneh, YJAG founder president,
said the initiative was meant to recognise the efforts of a particular member
who has worked very hard during the year for the development of the
association.
“I
initiated the award just to encourage members to work extremely hard for the
advancement of YJAG,” Mr Jawneh remarked, saying: “The award this year though
small is twenty times bigger than that of last year and would be given to a
particular member as a surprise.”
He
urged other members to emulate the likes of Sulayman while congratulating him
for his achievement.
Mr
Jawneh announced that henceforth an award committee would be formed to be
responsible for identifying the future winners. It would be recalled that
Aminata Sanneh, former 1st vice president of YJAG, won the maiden edition of
YJAG founder’s prize in 2011.
Reacting
to his prize, Sulayman said he was surprised winning the award.
He
added that, he never knew that someone like Mr Jawneh was out there following
his progress in the association.
Ceesay,
who was speaking to this reporter shortly after receiving his prize, said: “I
thought the award was going to someone else but to my surprise I heard my name
that the award was going to me.”
This
will serve as a source of motivation for him to continue the work he is doing
for the association, he said, adding that he feels very proud and happy about
the award.
It
is an achievement and honour for him winning the award from the founding father
of the association, he remarked: “I also consider it as a challenge for me to
continue doing more of what I was doing for the association.”
He
used the opportunity to also advise other members to commit more time and
efforts and take ownership of the association, saying: “It is the only way
forward for YJAG. What I just want to emphasize is that YJAG is here for all
young and aspiring journalists thus the need for all of us to embrace it.”
He
noted that the association is here to promote the welfare of every young and
aspiring journalist in the country. He also called on all members of the
association and even non-members to support the association in any way they
could.
YJAG
treasurer also called on members to remain committed and be attending meetings
at all times as well as pay their dues regularly. “I would also like to call on
members to be paying their dues on time because this is the money we use to run
the association,” he said.
The
association has a very “beautiful action plan that can help members to realize
their dreams”, he revealed, but if there is no money these plans cannot be
implemented. This is why they need the monthly contribution of members, he
added.
He
also called on NGOs, philanthropists and individuals to support the association
financially or in any other means they could, so they can realize their dreams
as an association.
“I
cannot conclude without thanking Mr Jawneh for recognizing my efforts and the
support he has been giving me and the association,” Ceesay said.
He
also hailed the current YJAG leadership, especially Modou S. Joof and Lamin
Jahateh, the president and secretary general respectively, for their support
and guidance to him.
He
concluded by also thanking the managing editor of the Voice Newspaper, Musa
Sheriff, for giving him the time to effectively partake in YJAG’s activities.
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