The youth believe that adequate investment in this sector is crucial for the development of young people and the promotion of sport.
According to youth advocates, funds allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the development of the youth and sport “is very small”.
Youth advocates argued that small budget hampers the potential for youth programs, which play a vital role in providing skills, opportunities and promoting physical health among the younger population.
‘‘The low funding could lead to a lack of resources for sports facilities, training programs, and youth engagement initiatives, ultimately affecting the overall development of young citizens,’’ the advocates cry out.
The Clerk of the National Youth Parliament (NYP), Abdoulie O. Bah, highlighted the preliminary report from GBOS clearly placing young people to about 70% of The Gambia's population.
‘‘The Ministry of Youth and Sports represents the largest demographic in the country to be allocated a budget line that is less than 1%, exact percentage is 0.25% of the entire amount that is allocated to government is something that calls for a very big concern,’’ Bah said.
Bah stated that young people and representatives of young people feel the funds allocated to youth and sports development is not enough for the crucial sector.
He further underscores the importance of the sector, saying adequate funding is highly needed to solve the problems of youth and sports programmes and projects in the country.
Funds allocated is not enough to improve the lives of young people in The Gambia, Bah complains, lamenting that even though they understand almost all the sectors are considered in the budget and government always indicates that funds are limited.
“Young people are streamlined in other ministries, being the reason they have always given ; why the budget allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Sport is usually low,” he reasoned.
He argued that such a reason could be unfounded because in as much as budget funds are allocated to young people in other ministries, these budget lines are not specified,” Bah said.
He disapproved the reason government continues to raise that the lesser budget allocation to the youth and sports ministry is because the issue of young people is cross-cutting and found in many other ministries.
He said they have recommended to the National Assembly from the onset to identify the budget lines that are in other ministries and specifically mark them as budget lines that are purely for the development of young people.
He said they should always indicate and specify budget allocations given to other ministries for the youth or young people.
Bah suggested that all of budget lines can still be directed to the ministry of youth and sports that can then further direct the funds to where they are needed the most.
He called on the government to encourage the Ministry of Youth and Sports to continue to look after the issues of young people in an efficient and proactive manner.
Bah also highlighted the development of The Gambia today is mainly on young people.
‘‘Lots of young people have started leaving the country because there is no meaningful empowerment for young people in the Gambia,” he declared.
“In order for us to have the country we want, I think it is important young people are empowered. Government will soon start to recognize them as one of the most fundamental pillars for the development of the Gambia.’’
Bah called for the separation of the youth ministry from sport, adding that a huge chunk of the budget goes to sport leaving youth development areas in shambles.
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports is a combination of two ministries,” he argued. “We have the Ministry of Youth and then we also have the Ministry of Sports. Sport is very expensive, let other developments that promote the welfare of young people in the Gambia be prioritised.’’
For instance, the budget allocated for youth and sports in 2024 was D122, 395,000 and the budget located for youth and sports in 2025 is D133, 054,969, just about 0.25% increment, which is yet to be approved by parliament, Bah stated.
