Sixty executive members of Kombo East Youth and Children Development Alliance (KEYCDA) have been capacitated on the negative effects of illicit drug trafficking in a two-day engagement that the district youth and children governing body partnered with Drug Law Enforcement Agency- The Gambia.
The participants were executive members of the various organs of the Alliance which included the s youth, sports and children committee and the Assembly for the Welfare of Young Girls and women and the cooperative credit union board.
The training was held at Kuloro Upper Basic School, targeting to build capacities of executive members on matters relating to illicit drug trafficking and other activities that affect the growth and development of young people within the district. It also targets to increase the participants’ understanding of evidence-based prevention strategies as well as foster cooperation between the Agency and the Alliance.
“The selected participants will serve as Ambassadors for Kombo East in their efforts to abate the use and trafficking in drugs within the District,” Dembo Kuyateh, KEYCDA board chairperson said during the opening on Saturday.
He commended the management of DLEAG for their support in funding the training, saying it is a crucial engagement because illicit drug trafficking and abuse adversely affect youths and derail their progress and development.
Addressing the gathering on behalf of the Kombo East District Alkalos Association, Alkalo of Faraba Sutu, Alieu Sanyang observed that drugs use pose serious threat and challenge to nations across the globe of which young people are the largely affected population.
Mr Sanyang said West Coast Region, and Kombo East in particular is highly vulnerable to the menace of drugs because of its strategic location and porous borders with Senegal’s southern region of Casamance.
Lamin Darboe, former executive director of the National Youth Council (NYC) and the first coordinator of KEYCDA commended DLEAG and KEYCDA for the initiative, stating that the training is one of the most important sessions that would help young people.
According to Mr. Darboe, drugs do not exist in isolation and its prevalence is highly associated with organized crimes and other cross cutting issues.
He advised the participants to consider the training as a stepping stone and urged them to learn and share knowledge gained with their colleagues to help addressing drug use and trafficking and related activities.
Superintendent Biran Jallow, representative of West Coast Region Commissioner of Police emphasized on the negative effects of drug use and appealed to participants to take the training seriously and share knowledge gained with others
Commanding officer Seedou Bojang of West Coast Region DLEAG office said illicit drug use and trafficking have serious effect on health and social well-being of people and society. “Our borders, especially in WCR are porous and that made Kombo East vulnerable to trafficking in drugs and other illicit activities.”