SUNDAYJULY
27, 2014 –The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has
set-up anEbola Response Committee to support the national fight against the
deadly Ebola virus that has so far claimed the lives of some 165 Sierra
Leoneans since the outbreak was confirmed in May this year.
SLAJ members,
at a general meeting held at the Association’s secretariat, Campbell Street in
Freetown on Saturday July 26, 2014, agreed that radio stations should allocate
30minutes airtime in their daily broadcast to pass on accurate information
about the Ebola virus to members of the public, while newspapers also dedicate
one-quarter page space for the publication of daily Ebola messages. The members
also agreed that the broadcasts and newspaper publications should be done free
of charge as the media’s contribution towards efforts tohalt the further spread
of the disease.
The SLAJEbola Response
Committee is charged with the responsibility of coordinating all activities undertaken
by the Association on the Ebola crisis. The Committee is also responsible to
develop contents that will be broadcast on radio and printed in the newspapers
for daily consumption of members of the public. It also keeps track of all
media activities developed on the Ebola issue.
The messages
to be developed by the Committee are intended to provide accurate information
to the public about the Ebola disease itself, why the outbreak should be taken
seriously and the preventive measures people should take to avoid coming in
contact with the disease, among others.
SLAJ’s social
media forums (Facebook and Whatsapp) will also be providing sensitisation
updates on the Ebola.
SLAJ President
Kelvin Lewis said it was important for the media to play its own part in the
fight against the deadly Ebola outbreak in the country without necessarily
looking for outside support, especially as the disease continues to claim the
lives of Sierra Leoneans.
“We are Sierra
Leoneans first before becoming journalists, so let us play our part to ensure
that the escalating trend the Ebola virus has taken is reserved,” said Lewis.
The SLAJEbola Response
Committee includes: Dr. Julius Spencer as Chairman, Ms. Regina Pratt of Concord
Times newspaper, Mrs. Asmaa Kamara-James of Radio Democracy 98.1 FM, Mr. Joshua
Nicol of CTN and the Mass Communication Department at FBC, Mr. Ransford Wright
of IRN, Mr. Sallieu Sesay of mysierraleoneonline.com, and Moses A. Kargbo,
Secretary General of SLAJ.
The Committee will continue to work until
after Sierra Leone is declared Ebola free.
Meanwhile, members of the SLAJ Disciplinary
Committee were also unveiled at the meeting. The members were elected during
the Association’s last Annual General Meeting in Makeni in June, and they
include Ms. Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, Dr. Julius Spencer and Mr. Joshua Nicol.
National
Secretary General
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