By Haddy Touray
President Adama Barrow has emphasized that nation-building requires genuine patriotic change agents to identify, initiate, and guide the necessary change processes to shape the future through positive social transformation of our institutions and communities.
“Given the current situation, we have to continually groom, inspire, and empower change agents to drive our “YIRIWAA” National Development Plan (2023-2027), while mainstreaming all relevant International Agreements,” the Gambian leader said at the 16th convocation ceremony of the University of The Gambia on Saturday.
He added: “Quite naturally, change is an unstoppable trend in life. It takes effect within and around us, but it can be constructively initiated and managed.
As every citizen is affected by change, it is best that we influence it as development agents and be part of the change process; at worst, we must not resist it whenever it comes about for the better.”
Speaking under the guiding theme “Empowering and Inspiring Change Agents through Education and Training,” he said learning or education and training have change implications, change agents generally act on such acquisitions as knowledge, experience, wisdom, and vision.
President Barrow stated that education and training thus empower people to play vital roles in socio-economic and political change processes and to step up this empowerment drive, his government will continue to create educational opportunities for all, irrespective of socio-economic background or other circumstances.
“As Chancellor of the UTG, my commitment to transforming the higher education landscape in The Gambia and nurturing a generation of change agents have no bounds.
The country needs a lot more change agents armed with knowledge and skills to purposefully apply their agency to develop a result-oriented culture; a culture of noble service, hard work, discipline, and a high sense of responsibility to initiate positive change and track progress,” he told the graduands.