By Binta Jaiteh
Essa Dampha, an executive member of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), has described the recent statements attributed to the National Youth President of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Hagie Suwaneh, as erroneous and misleading.
He contends that these statements are intended to obscure the realities currently facing the Gambian populace.
Responding to Mr. Suwaneh’s recent remarks, Dampha statedthat since the inception of Adama Barrow’s administration in 2017, the welfare and interests of Gambian youths have been prioritized within Barrow’s policy framework. He emphasized that Barrow has established an enabling environment that fosters growth in all sectors—be they formal, informal, public, or private—thereby empowering individuals to showcase their capabilities within the confines of the law, including the youth.
“Concerning employment and job creation, the administration has committed to generating one hundred and fifty thousand jobs between 2022 and 2027 in collaboration with the private sector. The proliferation of government institutions alongside the emergence of both small and large enterprises in the formal and informal sectors indicates that this policy is progressing effectively. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment is currently developing a database to track employment rates and monitor progress related to this policy; this data will be made publicly available shortly,” he elaborated.
Moreover, Dampha indicated that the Adama Barrow government has employed a holistic strategy to mitigate youth unemployment. This includes the construction of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) centers across the nation, aimed at equipping young people with skills and knowledge that will empower them to become job creators instead of merely job seekers.
“The University of Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (USET) Brikama Campus is expected to commence operations next month. This institution represents a pioneering initiative in the country, focused on cultivating home-grown scientists and engineers, specifically addressing the needs of our youthful demographic,” he stated.
Dampha urged Mr. Suwaneh to recognize that The Gambia remains the most economically accessible country within the sub-region concerning the pricing of basic commodities. While high commodity prices prevail across the region, he noted that the current low price of rice serves as a testament to the government’s effective interventions. For example, rice is priced at D2000 in Senegal, whereas the same quality rice is available for D1980 within The Gambia.
“As an eyewitness to the coalition of 2016, I wish to reiterate that there is no basis for comparison between your party and its leadership and that of His Excellency President Adama Barrow. His government and the NPP provided you with the opportunity to serve The Gambia for two years, from 2017 to 2019. During this time, you held significant positions in the government, including Foreign Affairs, Finance, Local Government, and the Office of the Vice President, Agriculture, and Trade. You also chaired seven administrative councils and represented the majority in the National Assembly. Could you please outline your accomplishments in agriculture that contributed to food self-sufficiency, as well as any policies you implemented to address youth unemployment?” Dampha inquired.