Back and Next - Back and NextYouth Matter: Family pressure fuels illegal migration UYA conference participants
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Participants at the second edition of the United Youth Association’s youth conference have pointed to family pressure as a factor fuelling the seemingly unending phenomenon of illegal migration.
Members of the Bakau based youth organisation came to this conclusion at the end of their week-long youth conference on illegal migration, which brought together over 150 young people within and outside the association. The theme of the just ended youth conference, which was held at the Bakau Newtown Lower Basic School, was: ‘Sensitise youths against illegal migration’. Describing the phenomenon as disheartening, the conference participants laid the blame squarely on parents for taking the lead in encouraging their sons to venturing into these treacherous journeys. The belief, accordingly, is that poverty comes to an end once they sail to the West in search of ‘greener pasture.’
Members also observed that family heads do sell all their valuable assets just to meet the demand of footing the bill for their sons to be able to take to the sea. This they found absurd, calling on parents to encourage their children instead to explore decent avenues within the country and tap from the numerous youth empowerment and development initiatives being provided by government. The role of opinion leaders and deported migrants would be instrumental in countering this trend, and this is a fact the conference participants stressed during their weekend confab. And to the youth folk, they emphasised that as the able bodied of the society, they have a great role to play in transforming the continent of Africa to a beacon of hope in the rest of the world.
They called on the youths of the country to be conscious enough to know that the African continent has a great chance of becoming economically independent far more than the West if all hands are on deck. Making reference to countries like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia, amongst other Asian countries which have clearly demonstrated economic independence, the participants challenged the youth folk to rally behind their authorities in replicating the successes registered in Asia.
However, the UYA conference participants went on to highlight the need for the intensification of massive sensitisation activities in communities in the quest of arresting a phenomenon that continues to cause great losses to individual lives, families as well as governments.
"I am of the candid view that if young people are sensitised enough about the negative consequences of illegal migration, the speed at which this trend is moving will be greatly reduced," says UYA president, Musa Conteh, and this was a point buttressed by his secretary general, Hatab Fadera, who described sensitisation as key in the process of curbing illegal migration.
"It is quite apparent," Fadera went on, "that most youths venture into the sea mainly as a result of ignorance of the negative consequences associated with it. Most of the youths venture mainly because they are with the misleading concept that they cannot make decent living in their own countries, and that as such, seeking for greener pastures is the only way out. Obsessed with such an illusive concept, many end up regretting their stance as they eventually end up exposed to all forms of difficulties thanks to drastic immigration laws of their dream destinations. Some people end up being deported back to their countries, after spending all the little resources they gather from their families to enable them venture into the perilous journeys,’’ the UYA secretary general remarked.
For Ida Jeng, assistant program coordinator of the association, it is agreeable that if youths were sensitised enough about the dangers attached to the phenomenon, efforts at curbing it would be even faster. She maintained that unless youths are sensitised about the repercussions of illegal migration, the phenomenon would continue to be the most pressing issue that governments and other concerned stakeholders would be faced with.
Expressing their resolve to complement government’s efforts in trying to curb illegal migration, UYA program coordinator, Kausu Jaiteh, used the opportunity to call on concerned stakeholders to come to the aid of young people to help them address issues affecting them.
It can be recalled that the UYA conceived the idea of organising annual youth conference, last year, with the ultimate goal of gathering substantial number of young people within and outside the association in the quest of addressing social burning issues that remains a challenge to both the government and the youths themselves.
For all your comments and contributions write to info@observer.gm
or call: 9970234
Members of the Bakau based youth organisation came to this conclusion at the end of their week-long youth conference on illegal migration, which brought together over 150 young people within and outside the association. The theme of the just ended youth conference, which was held at the Bakau Newtown Lower Basic School, was: ‘Sensitise youths against illegal migration’. Describing the phenomenon as disheartening, the conference participants laid the blame squarely on parents for taking the lead in encouraging their sons to venturing into these treacherous journeys. The belief, accordingly, is that poverty comes to an end once they sail to the West in search of ‘greener pasture.’
Members also observed that family heads do sell all their valuable assets just to meet the demand of footing the bill for their sons to be able to take to the sea. This they found absurd, calling on parents to encourage their children instead to explore decent avenues within the country and tap from the numerous youth empowerment and development initiatives being provided by government. The role of opinion leaders and deported migrants would be instrumental in countering this trend, and this is a fact the conference participants stressed during their weekend confab. And to the youth folk, they emphasised that as the able bodied of the society, they have a great role to play in transforming the continent of Africa to a beacon of hope in the rest of the world.
They called on the youths of the country to be conscious enough to know that the African continent has a great chance of becoming economically independent far more than the West if all hands are on deck. Making reference to countries like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia, amongst other Asian countries which have clearly demonstrated economic independence, the participants challenged the youth folk to rally behind their authorities in replicating the successes registered in Asia.
However, the UYA conference participants went on to highlight the need for the intensification of massive sensitisation activities in communities in the quest of arresting a phenomenon that continues to cause great losses to individual lives, families as well as governments.
"I am of the candid view that if young people are sensitised enough about the negative consequences of illegal migration, the speed at which this trend is moving will be greatly reduced," says UYA president, Musa Conteh, and this was a point buttressed by his secretary general, Hatab Fadera, who described sensitisation as key in the process of curbing illegal migration.
"It is quite apparent," Fadera went on, "that most youths venture into the sea mainly as a result of ignorance of the negative consequences associated with it. Most of the youths venture mainly because they are with the misleading concept that they cannot make decent living in their own countries, and that as such, seeking for greener pastures is the only way out. Obsessed with such an illusive concept, many end up regretting their stance as they eventually end up exposed to all forms of difficulties thanks to drastic immigration laws of their dream destinations. Some people end up being deported back to their countries, after spending all the little resources they gather from their families to enable them venture into the perilous journeys,’’ the UYA secretary general remarked.
For Ida Jeng, assistant program coordinator of the association, it is agreeable that if youths were sensitised enough about the dangers attached to the phenomenon, efforts at curbing it would be even faster. She maintained that unless youths are sensitised about the repercussions of illegal migration, the phenomenon would continue to be the most pressing issue that governments and other concerned stakeholders would be faced with.
Expressing their resolve to complement government’s efforts in trying to curb illegal migration, UYA program coordinator, Kausu Jaiteh, used the opportunity to call on concerned stakeholders to come to the aid of young people to help them address issues affecting them.
It can be recalled that the UYA conceived the idea of organising annual youth conference, last year, with the ultimate goal of gathering substantial number of young people within and outside the association in the quest of addressing social burning issues that remains a challenge to both the government and the youths themselves.
For all your comments and contributions write to info@observer.gm
or call: 9970234
Author: By Kemo
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