Alhagie Jobe, a deputy editor-in-chief at the Daily Observer, last Saturday,left Banjul for Accra, Ghana. Mr Jobe is among five journalists who will undergo a three-week training course on Parliamentary Reporting, at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).

Facilitated by the National Assembly of The Gambia and funded by the UNDP under its governance program, the program is seen as a requirement necessary to   enhance effective and accurate reporting of Assembly proceedings.

Among the various courses the five journalists will be undergoing during the training are; over view of the parliamentary system; the 2nd estate under constitutional rule; the role of parliamentary reporting in the parliamentary system; the role of the parliamentary press Corp; general principles of reporting; and legal and ethical implications of media coverage of parliament.

The course also includes reporting from parliament for state print media, radio and television  reporting from parliament for private print media, radio, television, and taking own pictures for TV. They will engage on story writing based on parliamentary sessions and field trips to witness parliamentary sessions. Their study tour will also take the five journalists to the famous Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam, among other important places.

Speaking to this reporter before his departure, Mr Jobe saluted the National Assembly under the visionary leadership of Speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay for her 'passion, foresight and established credential with the media,' leading to such a capacity training.

"Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay has yet again manifested her love for the media in this country.

The funds could have been requested for and diverted for another purpose, but she said no to that and acquired it to train journalists. So this, being the first of its kind in the history of The Gambia's National Assembly, is quite a laudable initiative, Mr Jobe said.

And he went: "The Speaker has therefore manifested her patriotism and open door policy established in the Assembly since her assumption of office. In fact, since she assumed leadership of the National Assembly, there has been greater collaboration between the Assembly and the media in the country."

Alagie Jobe also thanked the UNDP for funding the training, describing the move as a milestone in the history of the Gambian media fraternity. He further assured them that they would be worthy ambassadors of the country during their stay in Ghana, promising to 'break records after the training.'

He also thanked the management of the Observer Company for its support and cooperation and for accepting his nomination to attend the training. Mr Jobe concluded by commended his colleagues at the Observer editorial department for their cooperation, and implored them for their prayers.