This dire situation is however not deterring people in their resolve to embark on the journey. In what others see as legal pathway, this clandestine journey with the use now of the Atlantic Ocean to reach Canaries Island in Spain, is illegal and becoming a cause for concern due to its fatalities.
On daily basis, boatloads or full of people mostly sub-Saharan Africans continue to anchor on Spanish coast, and there is no end in sight to this misery.
This comes at a time when European Union is doing everything possible to secure and close its borders to the rest of mankind.
Those who manage to make it in Europe to some extent find it hard to integrate into their new destination while others are left with no choice than to engage in acts that make it easy to part with laws.
Amid civil strife, unrest and internal displacement, some leaders are turning a blind eye to this mass exodus, rather than looking at avenues to combat it.
The worst part of it, many people lose their lives, while others continue to live with lasting trauma.
Government, indeed, has undertaken series of initiatives aimed at empowering youth to participate and venture in gainful initiatives. However, this journey which later came to be famous as ‘Back-way’ continues to have a devastating toll on the country’s teeming youthful population.
It is high time youth reasoned that it ‘all that glitters is not gold’. While many find it as great opportunity on arriving on European shores, some are left in isolation and in a life that leaves much to be desired.
It is true that no country can provide jobs for all its citizens. However, creating avenues where youth can tap and harness their potential is vital if the country is to make any headway in curbing the flow of youth embarking on irregular migration.
We can make Africa even greener to the envy of the world, provided there are sound policies designed to improve the living standards of citizens.
To this end, we reiterate our call for the private sector and government to partner and see how best to improve the living condition of the country’s youth. Coming up with right policies, tailor-made programmes would help a great deal and make The Gambia, a perfect place to stay ad harness their potentials.
It is a fact that The Gambia, just like most African countries, loses millions in funds to fight corrupt officials - funds designed to sponsor projects and create jobs for the wellbeing of the citizenry.
Government needs to rethink and come up with sound policies and youth friendly initiatives to empower the youth. The Gambia has what it takes to achieve this rather than sit back and see our youth perish in the vast Sahara and Atlantic Ocean.