The development of young people within the region is their responsibility as a council, he said, adding that if the youths of any country or region are developed then that particular region or country is developed.
“Youth are the engine of growth in any country or region,” he said during the opening of a two-day regional pre-NaYCONF conference at the Kerewan regional education office hall on Thursday.
He added that his council would do everything to support youth development in the region and the country as a whole.
The conference was organized by the North Bank Region Youth Committee (NBRYC) in collaboration with the NYC and National Organizing Committee of NaYCONF 2014, and funded by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
The pre-conference meeting was to prepare the regional delegates for the national conference at the NaYCONF.
It also gave the participants the opportunity to come up with regional resolutions on issues affecting the youths in their various regions, which will later be presented at the national conference at the NaYCONF.
The conference affords youths, through their accredited representations, the opportunity to discuss matters of common interest vis-à-vis their role in national development.
It also serves as an authoritative source of information on the problems of youths as seen by the youths themselves.
He said the council would support the region’s delegation to participate in the 2014 NaYCONF to be held in Jarra Soma, Lower River Region.
He challenged the youths of the region and beyond to respect their authorities and elders.
Alagie Jarju, Program Manager, National Youth Council (NYC), said their interest is to ensure that regions develop resolutions that reflect the needs of young people in that particular region.
The pre-conference gatherings also allow regional delegates to reflect on the resolutions thatwere made two years ago and to evaluate how far they have gone in achieving or not achieving them, and to look at the lessons to be learned in moving forward, he said.
“This, therefore, makes the entire process relevant to the work of the NYC as the development of young people in this country is paramount in its mandate; a process, therefore, to identify needs of young people where they are directly consulted in developing programmes that positively impacts on their lives, is of great importance,” he said.
Sheriffo Mboge, chairperson of North Bank Region Youth Committee, said the youths of the region have the support of their authorities, while challenging the youths to be committed to their own regional and national development.
He said the conference would avail them the opportunity to prepare well for the national conference proper during the NaYCONF, and present to the people the real issues affecting the youths of the region.
“This conference will help us to identify issues affecting us within the region, with the aim of forwarding it to the national conference for further discussion and seeking solutions to the issues,” he said.
Lamin Saidykhan, member of conference sub-committee of the national organising committee of the NaYCONF, said young person need commitment and discipline to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
“The beauty of the conference is young people speak out on things that affect their lives and find solutions to them by providing resolutions and presenting them to the authorities,” he said.
He advised the delegates to come up with tangible resolutions that will represent and benefit the entire young people of the region and the country as a whole.
He highlighted the importance of the theme, adding that entrepreneurship is the driving force of any economy, and sports is now one of the fastest growing enterprises in the world.
He challenged the youths to be entrepreneurs, and to take up skills for self-employment and employability.
“As young people we should be thinking of being job creators than job seekers; the only thing that can foster that is skills development,” he said.