The youth are the cream and future of The Gambia, so seeing them dying en masse in such a manner is most heartrending.
All Gambians are mourning the death of our youth on the high seas trying to go to Europe. We at The Point Newspaper would like to also particularly register our sincere condolences to the bereaved families and to the whole nation for our compatriots and loved ones.
Family sources told this medium that the affected youths were on the high seas for ten days without food and water, which resulted in their deaths.
While many African countries are also having their youths perishing on the high seas through irregular migration, The Gambia cannot afford to continue to lose the precious lives of the cream of our nation. Irregular migration has become a menace to African countries not the least The Gambia.
Mr President, we have seen that some European countries have resorted to deporting immigrants as a way of solving the problem. But deportation should be the last resort to tackling the problem. We think homegrown solution is a better route to tread.
Mr President, part of the solution would be for your government to take measures that will ensure proper or tight security and checks on our borders - land and sea - to prevent irregular (or ‘backway’) migration. Last Thursday the immigration officers arrested 43 youths who attempted to use boats to go to Europe through the backway in spite of the current alarming death cases.
Since last year, the country’s immigration have been doing a good job by arresting many youths who have been attempting to go through the backway. The immigration force should thus be motivated and equipped to quell attempts of youths who want to embark on irregular migration to Europe.
It is also significant that Government and the private sector continue to endeavour to create more job opportunities for the youth.
Training to equip our youth with the required skills to help them get gainful employment is another good measure. With the required skills and knowledge, the youth may get jobs at home, and even if they happen to travel out of the country.
Mr President, while your government has put in place plans and policies to create job opportunities for the youth, those plans are yet to materialise. Bringing them to reality will be another mitigating measure to the backway menace, as they will be really helpful.
Furthermore, it will also be very important that the next AU Summit discuss irregular migration as a topical issue of continental concern. As well, African leaders should consider abolishing visa requirement for Africans travelling within the continent in order to promote the spirit of Pan-Africanism and foster economic development through movement of people and goods.
Mr President, your government should also make efforts to evacuate the hundreds of Gambians stranded in Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya. Government should work with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to get this done.
Finally, Mr President, the Former Presidents Bill has been enacted for the second time - the first was in 2006. The bill passed is an act to establish an office for a former president and to also provide for pension and other benefits, which is in the right direction.
These provisions will motivate heads of state to not overstay in office.
However, any ex-president who happens to have committed heinous crimes against humanity while in power should be excluded from such privileges and must face justice, such as Yahya Jammeh.
Good day!