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SLAJ President reacts to Freetown City Council’s accusation. |
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Written by Vandi Bawoh
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Saturday, 20 February 2010 |
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The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has described ‘as complete nonsense’ the Mayor of Freetown’s statement that he influenced the Independent Media Commission’s refusal to grant the Council license to operate a radio station.
Umaru Fofana told CTN that he wrote an article expressing need for not granting any local council license to operate a radio station in the country, but that had nothing to do with the IMC’s decision. Mr. Fofana said his argument was based on the experience learnt in the past when political party radio stations were operating in the country. He said he was not against the banning of political party radio stations but disagreed with the manner in which it was done. The SLAJ President also acknowledged being cautioned by the IMC after his article was published in one of the local tabloids. Mr. Fofana said his response to the IMC was that he had the right to express his views on issues as a citizen and a senior journalist in the country. The Mayor of Freetown City Council (FCC) earlier told journalists that the decision of the IMC to refuse them license to operate a radio station was not an independent one. Herbert George-Williams said the SLAJ President, Umaru Fofana, who had been a proponent of press freedom, influenced the decision, and was now seeing as crusader for muzzling certain groups from enjoying press freedom. The Chairperson of the IMC, Bernadette Cole, said the commission’s decision has not been influenced by anyone. Mrs. Cole said the commission was influenced by what she called “past deeds of political parties’ radio stations as well as the IMC Act and the Media Code of Practice.”
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