(JollofNews) – Authorities in the Gambia Wednesday ordered the closure of the country’s first newspaper, the Daily Observer.
The newspaper which supports former President Yahya Jammeh and his APRC party, is accused of failing to pay millions of Dalasis in tax to the country’s revenue authority (GRA).
According to sources, an enforcement team of GRA entered the paper’s premises in Kanifing at around 15:00 while staff were working on the next day’s edition and ordered them to vacate the building.
The management of the newspaper was not available for comment at the time of posting this story.
The Daily Observer was founded by Kenneth Best in 1990 and is credited for transforming journalism in the Gambia.
Mr Best had previously managed another paper called the Daily Observer in Liberia, until the First Liberian Civil War caused him to relocate with his family to the Gambia.
He was later expelled from the Gambia in October 1994 by the military junta of Yahya Jammeh which took over power a few months earlier.
Although the newspaper was allowed to continue operation, Mr Best sold it in 1999 to Amadou Samba, a business tycoon and closed associate of former President Yahya Jammeh.
Gambia Gov’t Shutdown Daily Observer Newspaper ...
... After The Paper Owes D17 Million Back Taxes!
Freedom Newspaper, 14.06.2017
Gambia’s premier daily newspaper, the Daily Observer Newspaper, has been shutdown by the Gambian government with immediate effect, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report. The paper is said to be owing D17 million dalasi, which is over...
Gambia’s premier daily newspaper, the Daily Observer Newspaper, has been shutdown by the Gambian government with immediate effect, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report. The paper is said to be owing D17 million dalasi, which is over $300,0000 dollars, in back taxes to the Gambian government. The notice for the temporal closure of the paper was served to the paper’s Management today, according to Pa Modou Mbowe, the Managing Director of the company.
The Daily Observer Newspaper was launched in the Gambia in 1992, by Kenneth Y Best, a Liberian Journalist. Mr. Best, who was living in exile in the West African country, was later deported by the former military junta headed by dictator Yahya Jammeh. His paper was later sold to dictator Yahay Jammeh, through a close associate of Jammeh Mr. Samba.
The paper has since been transformed as a pro-government newspaper—by publishing stories favorable to the government. Many journalists have been fired since Jammeh bought the paper.
It was during Gambia’s month long political impasse that Mr. Jammeh hired Pa Modou Mbowe to head the paper. Mr. Mbowe, is a resident of the United Kingdom. He told the Freedom Newspaper that it is unfortunate that the paper has been closed.
“I can confirm to you that the Daily Observer has been closed by the Barrow government. I received a letter today from the Gambia Revenue Authority, (GRA) instructing us to cease publication. The paper is owing the state D17 million taxes dating back in 20007. The paper is also owing couple of thousands of dalasis to other companies. The paper indebted to many institutions. This was prior to me taking over the paper. I have been very working hard to pay my staff and settle the paper’s debts. I do not know they are closing the paper at this time–given the fact that the back taxes has been there since 2007. They knew about it well before the change of government, ” he said.
Mr. Mbowe said the Daily Observer has a payroll of 80 people and 17 freelance journalists. “ We have 105 people working for this paper. The latest decision to shutdown the paper, will render all these folks unemployed. I was employed by Yahya Jammeh, the former president to head the Daily Observer. I had to leave England to stay here and create employment opportunities for our people. I am a Gambian; I am interested in the development of this country. That’s why I had to come home and contribute my quota to national development. It is very sad that the paper is closed,” Mr. Mbowe added.
Mr. Mbowe says the GRA letter intimated that the closure would be temporal for two weeks pending further actions.
GRA Officials could not be reached for comment.
Written By Pa Nderry M’Bai