Dr. Isatou Touray, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia has disclosed that Gambian government cannot prevent any European countries from deporting Gambian citizens, adding that most of the conditions that Gambian citizens presented to secure asylum in European countries no longer exist.
She made this remark among others at the Chambers of the Kanifing Municipality Council, where she engaged opinion leaders on peace and peaceful coexistence and irregular migration.
“Before the advent of the reform processes this government embarks on, it was easier for our citizens to secure asylum, but the fact that we are institutionalising democracy it will be very difficult for our citizens to get asylum because the reasons why they are given asylum is no more,” VP Touray disclosed.
She added: “To say that if I go back to The Gambia I will be arrested or killed or other reasons are no more exist. So there is little or no justification that Gambian asylum seekers can advance that will warrant them an asylum.”
She continued to call on Gambian youths to stay at home and take advantage of the opportunities bankrolled by government and its partners, affirming that with the prevailing democracy in the country the chances of acquiring asylum by Gambian asylum seekers in Europe and other parts of the world are next to zero.
“A lot of things are been said in the social media especially by people who venture into propaganda to blame the government on the deportation. They will not tell you the truth because those countries are only deporting undocumented migrants whom we cannot reject as a responsible government. More so they are our own children,” VP Touray clarified.
She added: “It is important for us the parents to understand that every country has its own laws that govern their countries. So if these propagandists tell you the government is allowing deportation, it is not true, government is only fixing the circumstances that lead youths to venture into irregular migration.”
She added that ‘back-way’ is a very risky journey where youths sacrifices their lives, noting that it is a journey where you can die and no one will prayed for you or even find your corpse to be buried.
According to her, it’s a fallacy that government is not doing efforts to curb irregular migration as lot of resources is been injected into various programs geared towards creating enabling environment for youths to strive in the country. Adding that what is expected of the Gambian Youths is to take their education very seriously as well take advantage of the various skills training opportunities bankrolled by government and partners.
As we moves deep into the elections calendar, Gambia’s number two top official calls on the youths to avoid been used as prone for igniting violence, adding that youths must not listened to social media users calling on them to burnt down public offices and facilities as these facilities belongs to every Gambian irrespective of political affiliations.
She warned the youths to be wary of political opportunists and propagandists who usually used the youths for demonstrations and other negative vices against the government, arguing that such vices will only derail the development of the country as businessmen and investors will be scared to invest in the country.
VP Touray finally called on all Gambians to preach and pray for peace and development of the country, noting that with peace, peaceful coexistence and development the back-way syndrome will become a thing of the past in the country.
