Africa-Press – Gambia. The Office of The President has a Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations for its Media and Communications Unit (MCU). The post holder is Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, lecturer at the University of The Gambia (UTG) School of Journalism & Digital Media (SJDM) and Deputy Government Spokesperson.
Sankanu’s redesignation is expected to add value to the Presidential visibility and communication strategy headed by the veteran broadcast journalist and anti-FGM campaigner Amie Bojang-Sissoho who has been Director of Press and Public Relations since 2017.
From humble beginnings as reporter for The Point Newspaper in the 1993, Sankanu worked for BBC Focus on Africa, Voice of America English-to-Africa, Deutscher Welle and as Producer of News & Current Affairs at The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) before relocating to Germany in 1998. There, he pursued further studies in digital media to keep him relevant in the digital era. From Germany he proceeded to Scotland, UK for a Master’s Degre in Film Studies at the University of Stirling. Sankanu has a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of The Gambia. He has supervised over 20 academic research projects in his capacity as lecturer and research communications advisor.
In 2015, Sankanu launched The Gambia’s first annual CineKambiya International Film Festival CIFF) and has produced over five feature films on various societal issues ranging from FGM (Bleeding Blade), discrimination of children with disability (Pain of Sorrow), ingratitude (Hisirinwalleh), abandonment of family (Kuu Buka Labang) and sacrificial (Manyo Be Kumbola). He also worked on a documentary on Nyancho Kelefa Sanneh of the Kaabu Empire with Kebba Camara and Fenja Baxter from Germany. This remarkable documentary featured UTG Associate Professor of African History Dr Ensa Touray and late researcher Bakary Sidibeh as subject matter experts.
Sankanu latest 2025 work is an adaptation of the ‘Bintang Bolong Dala Masanneh Ceesay’ folktale that he filmed in Foni Bondali. With his established background and expertise in film and audio-visual media, it is anticipated that Sankanu who is also versed in editing written reports and other documents, will infuse innovative ideas into the communication workflow of the Office of The President in respect of modern public affairs diplomacy and media consumption trends.
Prince Sankanu is part of the second cohort of the prestigious African Union Media Fellowship. As President of Film Producers Association of The Gambia, he has initiated a lot of capacity building programmes for young creative talents both in and out of school.
His versatility and dexterity became more prominent during the Covid-19 pandemic, handing Strategic Communication & External Public Relations as well as the Risk Communication & Community Engagement duties with exemplary brilliance and discipline.
Sankanu’s civil service elevation has been gradual. From Senior Information Officer at the Department of Information Service of the former Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure (MOICI) he became Principal Information Officer. Until his redesignation as State House Deputy Director of Press & Public Relations, he was Deputy to The Gambia Government Spokesperson & Presidential Diaspora Adviser, Ebrima G. Sankareh, who is currently pursuing his PhD at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India.
Source: The Standard Newspaper | Gambia
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
