By Bakary Ceesay
Melainie Wynter, Managing Director of Elizabeth Sloane in Jamaica, has revealed that Gambia is in an emergency situation due to the high rate of youth unemployment of 33%.
“There is an urgent need to address this large number of unemployment rate gaps and see ways to solve it immediately, she said.
She was speaking as a guest speaker during an entrepreneurship lecture organised by Startup grind power by Goggle for Entrepreneur Banjul, under the theme: “Building Valuable Business” at Kerr Jula- Gambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry on 25th May, 2019.
She explained that giving the facts that the country is importing 90% of what is consumed, so there is need for government to build human capital and encourage more people to venture into agriculture production.
She urged Gambia government to continue building the human capacity by empowering the education system as it is a foundation for growth for a country.
She pointed out that there is a high emphasis and focus needs to put in education, otherwise outside people would be hired and take the monies away, noting that there is need for decentralizing development across the country.
She advised government to pay attention in dealing with foreign companies by ensuring that monies pump into the country are not used as a scapegoat to exploit the country’s resources.
She noted that the resources coming into the country should benefit citizens and should ensure that Gambian workers are not exploited.
“They should be careful of what and who is welcome in the system; there should be a proper planning for long term sustainability,” she told young Gambian entrepreneurs.