Back and Next - Back and Next‘No visible progress made in 2006 NAYCONF resolutions’
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Delegates who are currently participating in the conference aspect of the 2008 biennial National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) has disputed that there was visible progress made on the resolutions drawn from the 2006 NAYCONF held in Brikama, Western Region.
This, majority of them said, was due to the National Youth Council non-follow-up to the resolutions or their building of less interest on the youth gathering. The youths made this squabble yesterday, in the conference hall of Farrafenni Youth Centre during the review of the 2006 national youth gathering resolutions.
On the resolutions put down to be address by the government with its relevant stakeholders which included youth unemployment and sustainable livelihood, the young people disagreed that there was no attainment made, hence there are still many young people who could not still secure themselves employment.Debating further on the issue of youth and migration, another resolution that was also agreed to be tabled before the government, Poulo Joof, regional youth chairperson of North bank region exposed that the European Union (EU) were unfair to the young people. He justified his arguments on the grounds that the grant agreement that was made between The Gambia and the Spanish government to create job opportunities for the young people in order to prevent the risky journeys that they took through the high seas in an attempt to get to Europe was not fulfilled.
Mr Joof also pointed accusing finger on the National Youth Council for centralising youth projects in only the urban areas. According to him, to encourage young people to stay in the rural areas and develop, they must be given those development opportunities.
He then challenged the NYC to set up sustainable projects for the young people, especially in CRR and LRR in order to cut down the issue of rural-urban drift. The NYC, he said, is representing the will of the young people and therefore, it is incumbent upon them to reach to the young people to know their problems.
Lamin J Gassama, vice chairperson of Western Region Youth Committee said the only thing the young people are agitating for is ‘change’. But to achieve that change, he continued, the youths themselves did not have that self governance and democracy.
Omar Cham, Delegate from Western Region challenged the National Youth Council to integrate the youth in their activities.
"If that is done, it will give them the zeal to become effective and responsible leaders in the future" he said. He expressed disappointment that since the commencement of the conference on Thursday, nothing was mention about the children, who he said, would be taking up responsibilities in the not too long future.
In his reaction, Malang Jassey, director of Youth and Sports refuted the statements by the youths. He noted that there were progresses made on the resolutions, though not all, he said, were met. He Said the implementations that were made from the 2006 resolutions is the establishment of GAMJOBS which is today, playing a vital role in enhancing employment for the youths. He also cited out the establishment of NYSS as another achievement.
This, majority of them said, was due to the National Youth Council non-follow-up to the resolutions or their building of less interest on the youth gathering. The youths made this squabble yesterday, in the conference hall of Farrafenni Youth Centre during the review of the 2006 national youth gathering resolutions.
On the resolutions put down to be address by the government with its relevant stakeholders which included youth unemployment and sustainable livelihood, the young people disagreed that there was no attainment made, hence there are still many young people who could not still secure themselves employment.Debating further on the issue of youth and migration, another resolution that was also agreed to be tabled before the government, Poulo Joof, regional youth chairperson of North bank region exposed that the European Union (EU) were unfair to the young people. He justified his arguments on the grounds that the grant agreement that was made between The Gambia and the Spanish government to create job opportunities for the young people in order to prevent the risky journeys that they took through the high seas in an attempt to get to Europe was not fulfilled.
Mr Joof also pointed accusing finger on the National Youth Council for centralising youth projects in only the urban areas. According to him, to encourage young people to stay in the rural areas and develop, they must be given those development opportunities.
He then challenged the NYC to set up sustainable projects for the young people, especially in CRR and LRR in order to cut down the issue of rural-urban drift. The NYC, he said, is representing the will of the young people and therefore, it is incumbent upon them to reach to the young people to know their problems.
Lamin J Gassama, vice chairperson of Western Region Youth Committee said the only thing the young people are agitating for is ‘change’. But to achieve that change, he continued, the youths themselves did not have that self governance and democracy.
Omar Cham, Delegate from Western Region challenged the National Youth Council to integrate the youth in their activities.
"If that is done, it will give them the zeal to become effective and responsible leaders in the future" he said. He expressed disappointment that since the commencement of the conference on Thursday, nothing was mention about the children, who he said, would be taking up responsibilities in the not too long future.
In his reaction, Malang Jassey, director of Youth and Sports refuted the statements by the youths. He noted that there were progresses made on the resolutions, though not all, he said, were met. He Said the implementations that were made from the 2006 resolutions is the establishment of GAMJOBS which is today, playing a vital role in enhancing employment for the youths. He also cited out the establishment of NYSS as another achievement.
Author: DO
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