By Yunus S Saliu
Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, Children, and Social Welfare over the weekend attended and commended students of the Institute of Travel and Tourism Of The Gambia (ITTOG) during its daylong Open Day event held at the school premises in Manjai.
Minister Fatou Kinteh, one of the VIPs at the Open Day event celebrated on Saturday shortly after browsing the food items and other products exhibited by the students harped on the important of the training and disclosed other opportunities ahead for them.
Honorable Kinteh congratulated them saying “Gambians love events and with this sky is the limit for you, if you can do this (referring to various foods and beverages exhibited)”
With love Gambians have for events and “now that the school is here training students on event planning among other courses, I believe it will create more self-employment for our youth especially the young women.”
She expressed dissatisfaction on idea of going another country to suffer before becoming somebody in life or prosper “thus there are opportunities in The Gambia” to tap from.
The Minister however assured the management of ITTOG of her Ministry readiness to work with ITTOG and relevant authorities to have more women trained on the course in next semester “because the government is ready to continue empowering the youth on skills education.”
Sheikh Tejan Nyang, Head of School – ITTOG described the Open Day event as an important day to the institute as parents, friends and among their sponsors such as YEP, ITC, partners in Spain, IOM were invited to come celebrate and interacts with students, teachers and lovers of ITTOG.
Over the past months, he said they have had support of the ITC in the area of event management course and also their partners in Spain sponsoring scores of students on a nine months course in food and beverages services and human rights issues. Saying “it is indeed gratifying as lots of women in this country need support.”
The Head of School among other people thanked the Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture, Hamat NK Bah for his support to the institute.
Francis Mendy, one of the lecturers at the institute dilated on courses and activities of the institute as Dr Adama Bah, chairman Board of Directors of ITTOG thanked and commended the teaching and non-teaching staff including the students for a job well done, while Fatou Mbenga Jallow, Project Coordinator of YEP expressed that her office valued the existing partnership between YEP and ITTOG as well commended them for a job well done.
Few of the students gave testimonies about the good works of the institute.
