SLAJ Inducts 159 New Members

Induction ceremonies for the new members were held in Freetown, Makeni, Bo, and Kenema from the 9th to 12th September 2024.

Out of the 216 candidates the Committee interviewed nationwide in person and virtually, 159 were approved, 54 were pending, and 3 were unqualified.

Delivering his motivational remarks to the inductees, former president of SLAJ, Umaru Fofana, said it is not automatic to become a member of SLAJ, but it is always good for journalists to aspire to become members of the association.

“I am really impressed and find it very interesting the process to apply, be shortlisted, and eventually be allowed to become a member of SLAJ. I am very pleased to see among you some university lecturers, graduates, students, and senior practitioners. It’s really heartwarming, and I only hope this will continue,” he said.

Fofana said journalism is at a crossroads globally and noted that the profession is needed now more than ever before as social media is becoming something else. He said, newspapers, for example, take responsibility for what goes out, but on social media, anyone can post without being held accountable.

Fofana urged the inductees to aspire to be professionals with integrity.

“Make sure that you hold this profession sacred and avoid side attractions. Politicians will come to influence you, and corporate bodies will come to influence you; the moment you give in, you’ll get the moment, but it will not last beyond your nose,” said Fofana.

Similarly, former President Kelvin Xander Lewis underscored the importance of journalism and admonished the inductees to understand that journalism is a selfless work that requires you to always speak for others, especially the voiceless. He encouraged the inductees to always maintain high ethical and professional standards and to always protect the image and reputation of the Association.

President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, briefed the new members about the transformation of the Association over the years. He maintained that defending and promoting free speech, press freedom and catering to the welfare and professional capacity of its members are the core mission of SLAJ.

He took the inductees through the history of SLAJ, its governance and democratic structure, the SLAJ Code of Ethics, and IMC regulations governing print and electronic media. He also gave an overview of the programs the Association has undertaken and is pursuing.

The Chairman of the membership Credentials Committee, Sahr James Bangah, said the Committee recommended the inductees based on their performance during the interview. He maintained that the Committee also has the power to revoke their membership if they fail to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association.

Meanwhile, the inductees took an oath of commitment to the rules and regulations of SLAJ and received their membership acceptance letters.

SLAJ Secretariat