By Sulayman Ceesay
Lamin Darboe, Executive Director, National Youth Council (NYC) has challenged Gambian youth to stop complains and take action.
“What we seek outside can be made here, stop the complains and take action,” he told young people during the opening of the first Interregional Youth Bantaba and Football Match in Farafenni, North Bank Region.
The Bantaba organised by IMVF TekkiFii project (Make it in The Gambia) in partnership with National Youth Council, National Sports Council and other partners, is funded by European Union.
The convergence that brought together 120 youth from Lower River and North Bank Regions of the Gambia seeks to create a platform for young people discuss issues around irregular migration, agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
It’s also meant to expose youth to the opportunities available and induced them to take action and see themselves as agents of change.
“The future is now let’s us take concrete action and make best use of the opportunities available towards fulfilling our potential,” ED Darboe emphases.
He said government is the primary duty bearer in providing development needs of its citizens. This is why the government of the Gambia came with the National Development Plan and in that plan priority no. 7 focuses of youth empowerment & development.
He added that IMVF is one of the many projects that the gov’t endorsed to support youth empowerment and development. “The Interregional Youth Bantaba and Football Match are expected to make the participants partners in the successful implementation of the project,” he said.
Mr. Darboe appreciated the effort and support of the IMVF project and others partners toward the empowerment and development of Gambian youth. He revealed that the IMVF project will be refurbishing the Farafenni youth center.
“This IMVF TekkiFii project is not only here to ensure the issues of irregular migration is address, but also build your capacities and help you have a better living,” he said.
He called on the participants to join them encourage other young people to stay in the Gambia. He challenged all youth to be ambassadors of peace, because the TekkiFii cannot be achieved without peace.
Ebrima Dampha, Governor of North Bank Region (NBR) salutes the young people of the Gambia for their hard work and commitment toward national development. He said Gambian young people have been very instrumental in all the development endeavor of the government.
“Our young people are no longer sitting waiting for the government to provide them job, they are now coming with initiatives to develop themselves and the country as well. They are now thinking what they can do for their country not what their country can do for them,” he said.
According to him Gambian youth are now aware of their rights and responsibilities. He noted that the government has come with lot of projects and programmes for youth development and empowerment.
He challenged youth to forget about the issues of ‘backway’ and focus, saying they can make it here in the country.
“We have lot of success stories in this country of people who make it here in The Gambia. Yes we can make it here, together we can. TekkiFii is really achievable,” he stated.
Joanna Martin, Project Coordinator, IMVF described the bantaba as a great opportunity for young people of the two regions (NBR and LRR) to engage effectively.
“Understand their roles in their communities and how to contribute towards the development of their communities,” she said.
However, she added that they also want young people to not only see sports as a game, but a skill that can bring development to their various communities.
“We want them to see sports beyond a mere game, but skills that can help them contribute to the development of their communities,” she explained.
