Niamina West youth want council to allocate budget for youth development

This call was made at a recent high-level dialogue held in Janjanbureh which brought together local authorities, youth leaders and development stakeholders to promote greater investment in youth empowerment.

The event supported by ActionAid The Gambia, was part of a broader advocacy effort aimed at ensuring that local government revenues are meaningfully invested in youth-related programs.

At the event, Famara Conteh, ActionAid’s Programme Coordinator for the Lower River Region (LRR), emphasised the significance of youth-focused initiatives.

“Today marks another important step in our work with youth and women. We are here with participants from diverse communities who are eager to benefit from this impactful training.” he said.

Conteh thus urged participants to fully engage in the program, noting that the benefits of the training would become evident over time.

Sulayman Sawaneh, chairman of the Janjanbureh Area Council in CRR South, praised the project’s relevance, noting that the YIRIWA Kafoo initiative, in partnership with ActionAid, is helping to empower young people across the region.

“This training is being well received by both youth and women, and the knowledge they are gaining will shape their future for the better.” he said.

He thanked ActionAid for its continued support to Gambian youth.

Also speaking at the event, Jim Lowe, Regional Youth Coordinator at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, expressed gratitude for the support provided through the YIRIWA Kafoo Initiative.

“Young people are the future of this country, and we must rise to support them just as our elders did for us.” he said.

Jaja Cham, Chief Executive Officer of the Janjanbureh Area Council, called on young people to take full advantage of skills training opportunities.

Ousman Bah, Governor of Central River Region (CRR), commended both ActionAid and the Government of The Gambia for their youth development initiatives.

He outlined the importance of community participation in national development. “We should not leave everything to the government. Institutions and individuals must step up, just like ActionAid is doing,” he stated.

To this end, Governor Bah urged citizens to fulfill their civic duties, including but not limited to paying taxes.

“Paying taxes should be seen as a patriotic responsibility not something people need to be reminded of.” he added.