SGSA holds 11th annual sensitisation

The convergence, which has now become an annual event, attracted senior government officials, representatives of several organisations, residents of Sare Gubu and satellite villages. It was held under the theme: “Societal impact of drug abuse in Gambia.”

Speaking at the forum, Ousman Bah, the president of SGSA, spoke at length on the significance of the event.

The association, he said, was formed with a view to promoting education, advocating for better health care, raising awareness of some of the issues affecting the inhabitants of the area, as well as bringing social development into the community.

Bah paid tribute to the founders of the association for coming out with such an initiative, saying: “The coming of the association has positively benefited the communities of the area.”

“When we were forming this association, most of our members were not even working. However, today, we can boost that about 15 of our members are all working in different institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the World Bank, among others.”

Highlighting some of the achievements registered since the formation of the association, Bah added: “In 2024 alone, we have registered ten new members who are all in grade 10. " The association also has members that had admission to tertiary institutions such as the University of The Gambia (UTG), and University of Education,” he stated, further claiming that the association also has a PhD holder and another one pursuing a PhD. 

Hon. Seedy S.K. Njie, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, expressed delight in attending the forum, while expressing gratitude to the association for organising such an important forum that is meant among others, to raise awareness of issues affecting the communities of the area.

“I am happy to always come here. I admire SGSA for your achievements. You have a PhD holder and many others who are currently working in the government and others attending university.” 

Commenting on the significance of education, especially in the rural areas, deputy speaker Njie urged residents of the area to continue to enroll their children in school in order to ensure that they get the required skills and knowledge to enable them to contribute to nation building.

He called on them to work closely with government in order to achieve its developmental aspirations, saying: “Working with the government to benefit from social development is not political, but rather it’s about participating in national development.”

Njie further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing the needed social development to all irrespective of geographical location.

Basiru Bah, chairperson of Sare Gubu Youth Development Association (SAGYDA) commended SGSA for its immense contributions to the development of the community, while assuring SAGYDA's continuous partnership with SGSA with the desire to bring the much-needed development to the doorstep of its people.

Njako Sowe, who spoke on behalf of the women, underscored the importance of the gathering, saying: “Such a kind of forum will go a long way to further enlightening us on some of the issues affecting us and the way forward.”

Mahulay Ceesay, the vice president of Fulbe Africa, spoke about the unity that exists in the village, while encouraging them to always work together and strengthen the cordial relationship that exists in the village.

She described the youths of Sare Gubu as “development-oriented and disciplined young people’, who work tirelessly for the development of their own community. 

The young people of Sare Gubu, she went on, are playing a leading role in Fulbe Africa, while assuring them of Fulbe Africa’s unflinching support.

For his part, Lamin Kanagie, from the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG) urged young people in the area to desist from illicit drugs as they're harmful to their health.