Honorable Abdoulie Ceesay, National Assembly Member for Old Yundum Constituency has disclosed that fifty (50) percent of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) will goes towards youths empowerment, as his office is committed to the empowerment of women and children as well as attracting all forms of development for the constituency.
He made this remarks at a presentation ceremony held in Wellingara whereby fourteen communities benefitted from fourteen sets of jerseys and fourteen footballs ahead of a scheduled ‘Peace Tournament’ to hold soonest.
“In 2018 and 2019, I was part of a house committee that works hard to ensure that Constituency Development Fund is available to the National Assembly Members to be able to do grassroots development. We know it is always difficult to tap resources from people for the grassroots development so we realised that it will be important for government to create the Constituency Development Fund,” Hon. Ceesay disclosed.
He added: “When I came in 2017, I formed a Constituency Committee to do an assessment of the needs of the constituency and when I received this CDF I felt that the young people needed it most which is why we buy jerseys and footballs that we gave to each sports committee to be able to promote youths and sports development in their respective areas.”
Honorable Ceesay revealed that three hundred thousand dalasis has been allocated to the NAMs as their Constituency Development Funding, adding that out of this amount the Constituency Development Committee spent over two hundred and ninety thousand Dalasis (D290, 000) to buy fourteen (14) sets of jerseys and fourteen (14) footballs for the various communities.
He went on that the acquisition of the football jerseys and balls ignited their desire to organise a tournament dubbed ‘The Peace Tournament’ in a bit to bring the youths and diverse people of Old Yundum together. The tournament, he said is hope to create unity, understanding, oneness and love among the youths of the constituency especially in this crucial moment of the country.
“I would like to advice the youths to maintain the peace which is why we are organising this tournament. If you go around you see a lot of young people, we want to bring them onboard in our collective desire to promote peace within the constituency and beyond,” he advised.
On his part, Honorable Saikouba Jarju of Busumbala Constituency called on the youths to adhere to the calls of their MP, stating that Old Yundum NAM is one of a kind among the members of the house who is always working hard to making his constituency better.
According to him, the gesture manifested by Old Yundum NAM should be emulated by other NAMs by judiciously spending their constituency development funds on the right course, adding that youths and sports department should be a concern to all and sundry.
“I’m appealing to the people of Old Yundum especially to the youths to give all their supports to Honorable Abdoulie Ceesay who have been working very hard since he assumed office. He is the only MP who has provide more than eight boreholes for his community, paying school fees for the less privilege among others and I am sure if you give him another chance you will surely get all you need in this constituency,” Honorable Saikouba Jarju, appealed.
Other speakers including Cherno Bah, Banjulinding, Babucarr John, Jabang, Ebrima Marong, Amadou Njie and Sulayman Colley, who all singled out the tremendous efforts manifested by their sitting MP.