The Management of the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) has expressed its dismay at remarks by the President of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), Mr. Lamin Kabba Bajo, indicating that the national broadcaster is incapable of providing coverage of the GFF league matches.
The remarks came at a press conference yesterday, following the signing of a contract in which the GFF appointed Eye Africa TV as its local broadcast partner for the airing of GFF Division 1 league matches.
The GFF President accused GRTS of not actively covering the Division 1 league games.
Responding to the accusations, the GRTS Management said there is enough evidence on both GRTS’ online platforms and in its archives to show that the national broadcaster has consistently covered and aired GFF Football league games in its news bulletins on both TV and radio.
“It is deeply regrettable that Mr. Bajo, without giving any specific evidence, ridiculed GRTS’ content packaging to justify the GFF’s decision to bypass the national broadcaster for coverage of important national activity.
Regarding remarks about meetings between GRTS and the GFF Executive, Management wishes to make it clear that there was only one meeting between the two sides to discuss a partnership. Repeated follow-up efforts by GRTS Directors yielded no fruits because the GFF Executive Committee members were either not reachable or failed to respond to phone calls or text messages. The GRTS Director General made several efforts to reach GFF Executive Committee Member, Mr. Bakary Jammeh, to schedule a second meeting.
GRTS describes as “totally unfair and blatantly inaccurate remarks by the GFF President and Director of Communications that GRTS does not have the capacity to provide coverage of football matches.
“There is enough evidence of the brilliant work that the GRTS sports team has and continues to do in terms of both radio and television coverage of the GFF Division 1 League Matches and other sporting events in various parts of the country.
