Executive Director of National Youth Council (NYC), Alagie Jarju, has revealed that NYC is the voice of young people across The Gambia.
Jarju was speaking during Ministry of Youth and Sports retreat held in Kanilai Village, Foni Kansala in the West Coast Region, recently.
Jarju emphasised NYC’s mandate to coordinate and promote youth development, advise government on youth matters, and ensure young people are actively included in decision-making processes.
He highlighted key first quarter achievements, including the training of 30 early warning monitors across 12 districts, nationwide Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) awareness campaigns reaching over 1,100 young people, and capacity-building initiatives such as digital boot camps and mentorship programmes.
Jarju stated that despite recording strong performance and meeting most targets, there are still challenges such as delayed funding, limited human resources, and coordination gaps with stakeholders.
He emphasised on the Council plans to roll out a Youth Policy Implementation Framework, expand early warning hubs and intensify peacebuilding and civic engagement initiatives nationwide.
General Manager of the Independence Stadium, Ebou Faye, who provided updates on infrastructure development and facility management, revealed that rehabilitation works at the stadium are nearing completion, with about 90% of remodeling done and 95% of CAF safety requirements met.
Mr Faye further disclosed plans to transform key facilities, including the Bella Arena and indoor volleyball and basketball courts, into revenue-generating assets.
However, he pointed out major setbacks such as funding delays, low water pressure, and slow progress on critical works like the removal of the tartan track.
The session, supported by Action Aid International The Gambia through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, allowing participants to engage presenters and propose solutions.
Up next for presentations are key institutions including NEDI, NYSS - The Gambia and The Gambia Songhai Initiative (GSI), as the retreat continues to assess performance and map out strategic priorities for the sector.
Source: National Youth Council
