Thus, following the launching of the FORMGIS Project, the inaugural Technical Review Group (TRG) meeting was convened recently at the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa.
The meeting was opened and chaired by the Director of Employment, at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) on behalf of the permanent secretary.
Fabba Jammeh, Director of Employment at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE)emphasised the importance of the FORMGIS Project for the Government of The Gambia.
He noted that the project is highly relevant in view of the needs of youths to get jobs and integrate, adding that the expectations of the project are huge and therefore receive high consideration by the government.
He explained that the success of the interventions carried out under the project should serve as a model for other initiatives, taking the lead in the development to the National FormalisationStrategy and Action Plan for the formalisation of the informal economy and ensuring the involvement of the social partners in all stages of its elaboration.
Ajara Jallow, National Project Coordinator ILO, elaborated on the aims and objectives of the project and implementation principles. She shared a preliminary overview of the opportunities identified in formalisation and some of the main activities of the project.
In parallel, the project governance and management structures are being put in place during the acceleration phase in September 2021. Since the FORMGIS launch in mid-February, the TRG had been identified and now established, the office location secured at the UN Projects Office in Senegambia, and the competitive recruitment process of national staff have been done.
The Project Coordinator explained that although the project was approved in2021 with the work plan finalised at ILO level, actual implementation commenced in January 2022 with a diagnostic study on the informal sector and an analysis to accessing the barriers to social security. She further highlighted that recruitment of a consultant is currently being done for the development of National Formalisation Strategy and Action Plan, as well as a National Strategy for the development/recognition of skills to facilitate formalisation for informal sector workers and economic units and the training of one hundred (100) entrepreneurs.
Kebba Masanneh Ceesay, chairman of Gambia Trade Union Bureau (GAMTUB) highlighted the seriousness of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the employment and working conditions of those in the informal sector, the lack of incentives and need to support formalisation and access to social security.To that effect, GAMTUB have set an informal sector workers union.
