GRTS WHISTLEBLOWER COME OUT FROM THE CLOSET

Shocking Details Of Official Corruption, Sexual Harassment, And Abuse Of Office

GRTS STAFFERS FORECED TO RESIGN TO AVOID SACKING

By Pa Nderry M’Bai

Email: panderrymbai@gmail.com

Tel: 919-749-6319 

Momodou Sanyang, the Director General of The Gambia Radio and Television Services, has been using President Yahya Jammeh’s name for a while now to intimidate, harass, and in some occasions forcing local staffers to resign, or risked being fired by the head of state, a whistleblower within the TV hierarchy revealed today.  The controversial Mr. Sanyang, who is linked to “socializing” with his favorite female staffers, has been accused of abuse of office, maladministration, discrimination, and harassment of female and male staffers, who are perceived to be in the good books of the President, the whistleblower said.  Over the years, the GRTS witnessed a mass exodus of its most experienced staff—thanks to Mr. Sanyang, who “prostituted” and abused the President’s name by his repeated false claim that the concerned staffers should resign because the President doesn’t want to see them at the GRTS.  The unsuspecting staffers, acting out of fear resigned under the basis that the head of state hated them. This to some extent affected the quality of GTRS’S news delivery system because the institution had to hire and train new staffers—mainly on tribal and party line, who are alien to the journalistic profession, the whistleblower said.

Earlier this week, the Freedom Newspaper received a news tipoff from a concerned Gambian decrying the dictatorial tendencies of Momodou Sanyang, who uses the President’s name for his “selfish” interest to scare and possibly force hardworking staffers of GRTS to quit their profession.  There are other GRTS anchors, and news reporters currently serving the institution, who are routinely exposed to Mr. Sanyang’s madness.  They have been harassed, terrorized, and signaled to leave the institution before being sacked by the President, to borrow Momodou Sanyang’s expression. These GRTS workers are living in constant fear. Mr. Sanyang’s reckless and belligerent conduct is affecting staff morale at the state’s controlled television, sources said. 

“Please try to find out why Momodou Sanyang the present DG of GRTS always use the name of the President to victimize innocent staff. Sometime ago, I read a story on your widely read paper concerning Momodou Sanyang and how he has tried against all odds to frustrate people like Kebba Dibba, Dodou Sanneh and even Ya Abis Njie who today are sitting mute wondering what on earth did they do to warrant all this hatred by a man who was suppose to protect them,” the letter writer noted.

According to the letter writer “I have been reliably informed that a number of GRTS staff are leaving in large numbers, this is all of course part of a scheme orchestrated by Momodou Sanyang to weed out all those who are hardworking and are believed to be recognized by the President.”

The letter writer added “Please use your journalism contacts to dig deep into the story why Momodou Sanyang use the name HE in his dealings with the staff; why is he threatening staff that the President hates them, and that they have to resign before they are sack. Why Does he assigns only two reporters to cover State House, why does he use his official vehicle to transport his concubine, and sometimes stay too late in the office with members of the opposite sex? "

Mr. Sanyang has been accused of insulting GRTS staffers in the presence of visitors. “Why does he insult his staffers, and yell on them in front of everyone especially when visitors are around. I was told that a visitor once complain about why he, Momodou Sanyang uses the name of the President in his dealings with people even he's on a private and personal dealings with others.”

A further research on the letter writer’s claims, this paper contacted a senior insider at the GRTS, who confirmed the story. The whistleblower said Mr. Sanyang has transformed the GRTS into his personal property to a point that no one at the institution dares go against his corrupt and dictatorial practices.  The whistleblower said Sanyang discriminates against  staffers when it comes to state house and Kanilai function coverage.

“ This guy is smearing the image of the President on a daily basis. Since the unceremonious departure of Borra Mboge, Mr. Sanyang took over with an agenda.  He insults, harass, deny promotion and training to hardworking staffers because he claimed that the President is not happy with his staffers. Everyone here has been intimidated by Momodou Sanyang.  As I am speaking to you this institution is faced with institutionalized corruption.  Momodou Sanyang don’t believe in paperwork. He takes money from the TV coffers without accountability.  He has pocketed close to half a million dalasi from this institution since taking over  office. The state can send the auditors and find out. There is no proper accounting procedure at the GTRS. How about the falsified coverage expenses, perdium allowances, and undocumented TV commercial slots. Sanyang has wrecked this place,” the whistleblower said.

According to the GTRS insider, President Jammeh is working very hard to make the GRTS to be the best in region, but little did he ( Mr. Jammeh) knows that the staff, who should compliment his efforts are being frustrated by Momodou Sanyang. The insider said the earlier the President intervenes, the better it would be.

“ He is not happy with the comeback of Lamin Manga, Fatou Camara, and Haruna.  Mr. Sanyang doesn’t want to see these people here. He needs puppets such as Momodou Joof to help him cover the corruption taking place here.  Ask any staffer of GRTS, they would tell you that Momodou Sanyang is hindering the progress of the station.  He even lied to us the other day that the President was not happy with some of the tour sound bites aired on our newscast. He complained against cameramen, reporters, producers and secretaries.  He has reduced the GRTS as his own enterprise.  The sad thing is that he is tarnishing the President’s name. He wants staffers to hate the President because all these people leaving were threatened by Sanyang that if they don’t resign the head of state would fire them,” the source said.

     Staffers Said Sanyang Is Heartless

Saikou Dibba, a reporter who was on tour with the VP, and upon his return to the office, he became seriously ill. He later died. Sanyang refused to attend his funeral. He said he was going to Kanilai to meet the President. Even the Vice President extended some charity to the family of the late Saikou Dibba.

Abba Jammeh, he was one of the longest serving drivers of GRTS. He was sick and when he requested lift from Mr. Sanyang so that he can allow the drivers to  use the GRTS car assigned to  (Abba Gibba) to take him  to the hospital for treatment, Mr. Sanyang refused.  Sanyang said he needed the vehicle for coverage. Abba Jammeh later had his contract with GRTS terminated. He is now paralyzed.

Ken Jonga, was the first female camera lady at GRTS. She died recently but Sanyang refused to attend her funeral. He headed to the Kanilai festival despite all odds. GRTS staffers attended funeral with the exception of Momodou Sanyang. Jonga served GRTS wholeheartedly.

Mr. Sanyang’s own daughter became ill and he was informed  by his family about the girl’s illness, but he advised that they should take her to the hospital. He headed for Kanilai, where he received information  that his daughter died.

Having noticed that Mr. Sanyang appeared depressed, the President enquired from him what was bothering him, Sanyang told him that he lost his daughter.  The President then asked Momodou Sanyang what was he doing in Kanilai after knowing that his own daughter was ill, a  speechless Mr. Sanyang was ordered by the head of state to leave.

 Sanyang’s accountant Lamin Ceesay was onetime GRTS’S auditor.  He is now the GRTS Finance Manager. One should not expect impartiality on the side of Finance Manager Ceesay. He is hired to do a dirty work for Mr. Sanyang, sources said.

   GRTS ACCOUNTS IN RED!!

Mr. Sanyang’s personal driver worked seven days a week without no off, and he is never compensated for overtime.  Mr. Sanyang threatened to fire him if he refuses to drive him. He denied him the opportunity to reassign him to other units within the GRTS.  The driver is from Busumbala.

Our sources called on Mr. Sanyang to resign, failure of which they said they would release more damaging information against the disgraced TV boss. Our sources reaffirmed the need for President Jammeh to convene a meeting with the GTRS workers because saying that the confusion caused Momodou Sanyang needs to be cleared once and for all. They said Mr. Sanyang portrayed the head of state as an enemy of some of the staffers when in reality he (Mr. Jammeh) is not privy to Sanyang’s actions.   

The staffers are also calling on the President to look into the staff’s late salary payments, and unfinished overdraft loans taken by the GRTS Management. They said the GRTS is becoming a financial cash trap institution. Banks such as Trust Bank Limited can attest to these foregoing facts, they said.  

Mr. Sanyang could not be reached for immediate comments.  A GRTS insider said Sanyang was in Kanilai to see the President.