Hon. Hadrammeh Sidibeh, Minister of Youth and Sports has said Gambia Songhai Initiative (GSI) project is designed to tackle growing youth unemployment and increasing poverty among rural population of The Gambia.
“It is also developed against the growing need to transform the agricultural sector into a productive, efficient sustainable and remunerative enterprise,” he said during the graduation of the 5th batch of 39 trainees at the center in Chamen, North Bank Region.
He said it will also help to tackle the multiple challenges of food insecurity, environmental degradation and youth unemployment.
However, GSI was initiated by the government of the Gambia through the ministry of youth and sports with the support of UNDP. Since inception in 2014, the center has trained more than 200 young people across the country.
He said Songhai development model is to create rural cities to stem rural migration through and integrated agriculture linked to industrialization and service provision thereby making farming a viable proposition for youth, creating jobs and sustaining livelihood.
“The ministry together with the government and its development partners are working to address some of the challenges the center is faced with,” he said.
He added that negotiations have already been taken place to increase the student dormitories from 40 to 80 to be funded by the MRC Holland Foundation.
“In addition funds are secured from the ministry of finance for the rehabilitation of the student canteen to make it a modern cafeteria and provision of electricity supply from NAWEC,” he revealed.
He noted that the project would be in the near future put in place a full-fledged project implementation unit capacitated to handle all management matters of the project.
“This is critical in safeguarding the operational independence of the project,” he said.
Abdou Touray, representative of UNDP resident coordinator said the training offered by GSI will not only ensure personal satisfaction but provide a solid pathway to employment.
He said the Songhai development model is providing not only a viable mechanism of harnessing potentials but enhancing youth productivity and their contribution to overall national economic growth.
He said UNDP is supporting a tracer study on center graduate and funding a consultancy on the critical assessment and business plan for the center. Both research findings will provide evidence for future policy and program choice or decision.
“Together we can change and transform our economy and strengthen resilience of communities and individuals to eradicate poverty,” he said.
Author Sulayman Ceesay
