By: Sulayman Waan
The Pastor Intercessory Fellowship a Christian organization has engaged Gambia women on their role in the national development plan (NDP); held on recently at NaNA.
This annual summit meant to engage and enlighten women on their role in the 2018-2021 National Development Plan so as to help government in implementing the national blue print.
In his opening statement on behalf of Vice President, Momodou Lamin Jaiteh, permanent secretary at VP office said the overall goal of the NDP is to deliver good governance, accountability, social cohesion, national reconciliation as well as to transform the state economic.
“The first strategy on the NDP is governance, human rights and decentralization. This has being actively pursue by the government with the remaining other nine priorities including women empowerment and strengthening, the civil society and other state actors,” he said.
The representation of the vice president in the event is a clear testimony to the important of the session and it interest to government,” he added, while described the conference as key towards accomplishing the national blue print.
Peace building entails building the political condition for a sustainable democratic peace, he noted.
However, he said hence politicking hits the populace therefore, is essential to spread the culture of peace among the masses, especially the youth across the state to ensure peace and stability.
PS Jaiteh assured government support to PIF and all who want to contribute in preserving peace and stability in the country.
Bishop pro. Augustyn Bernards described the forum as significant in Gambian history as the NDP is the nation’s development agenda and an advance guideline toward achieving a successful roadmap for government. He added that the summit is expected to motivate, empower and improve the capacity of women.
“This advanced and ground-breaking summit on the role of women in nation building in line with the NDP is mean to empower women, their involvement, benefit for sustainable peace and economic growth,” he said.
Pro. Bernard said women play sensitive and active role in nation building, adding they enhance healthier strategies as key agents for development.
“The women play a major role towards the achievement of transformational, economic, environmental and social changes require for sustainable development as well as governance,” he stated.
Women are consistently the custodian of the management and sustainable use of material resource and the preservation and management of traditional yield for current and future generation, he said.
“Women all over the world play the most active and socio-political roles in nation building than men. Why? Because men without women are weak and incomplete,” he said.
Hon. Halifa Sallah, NAM for Serekunda East described the forum as instrumental, saying the organization is engage on changing the mindset of masses towards nation building which he means is important thing in this modern generation.
He noted that women should be well respected and protected in the society because human production cannot be gained without women as they produce human.
Sallah enjoined all and sundry to work harder on their various responsibilities so as to end Gambians women from sufferings.
Sandra Lattouf, UNICEF country rep, unveiled that Gambian women are playing key role in nation building, saying most of the food stuffs in the country are produced by women.
“For the country to have food security the women must be given incentive to empower themselves so as to produce more foods for the public,” she said.