By: Lamin B. Darboe
Communication Officer, MoPS
The Department of Strategic Policy and Delivery (DSPD) under the Ministry of Public Service (MoPS), on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, organized a daylong end-of-year review of UNICEF-Gambia Government country programs 2024-2028 at Sir DawdaKairaba Jawara International International Conference Center, Bijilo.
Opening the meeting, the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Mr. Alieu Loum who doubles as the Head of the DPSD, said the implementation of the UNICEF programs is a complementary part of the government’s own National Development Plan locally called: YIRIWA.
“As we, therefore, progress in this program, we also progress in the NDP. If you fail to plan and assess yourselves, there are lots of tendencies, if you don’t measure results, you will not reward success and if you cannot reward success, the tendency to reward failure in the presence of success is very high.” Mr. Loum explained.
According to Mr. Loum, the UNICEF program is anchored on supporting the future leaders of The Gambia, adding that no country can develop if that country fails to plan the future of its children.
He informed that there are no resources the country can have than the future leaders of the country, adding that children served as the bedrock of any country’s future.
He said it is today that parents should plan a better future for their children, so that when they (children) grow up, they can take good care of them (parents), but if parents fail to plan for their children, they should not blame anyone, but themselves as parents.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Representative UNICEF-Gambia Office, Mr. Armand Gnahore expressed his appreciation to The Gambia Government, Civil Society Organizations, and UNICEF partners for their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to advancing the rights and wellbeing of children and women in The Gambia.
According to Mr. Gnahore, the forum marked a critical moment to celebrate achievements, assess challenges, and renew their collective commitment to deliver impactful results for the children and families UNICEF serves.
Representatives from sectors including Health, Basic Education, Child Protection, WASH, Social Protection, and Nutrition made presentations based on activities implemented in 2024 including challenges and recommendations for improvement. DSPD also presented findings of the joint monitoring report including coordination mechanisms for effective implementation of the country’s program.
