The dialogue or conference was part of efforts to address youth unemployment and irregular migration, which are key issues that affect the growth and development of young people of The Gambia.
Mr Badjie underscored the mechanisms needed in addressing youth unemployment and irregular migration bedevilling Gambian youth.
In his capacity as the program manager of the NYC, Badjie emphasised that the council is committed to advising the government on youth matters and also providing them with data which they collect from institutions that are doing surveys on employment and migration in The Gambia.
Mr Badjie stated that low salary and standard of living could be the major factors driving people out of the country.
He further stated that many people, if not all, seem to label youth unemployment as driving factor to irregular migration. “Youth have a rightful place in shaping the future of our nation,” said Badjie.
Meanwhile, the youth continue to face low rate of employment, hence there has been much concern about the youth labour market.
A majority of the youth are unemployed because they lack the requisite skills and knowledge to enter into gainful employment.
Thus, the hopelessness of youth in the job market makes the majority of them unemployable.
The youthful age of The Gambia can be a potential resource for sustainable growth and development if they are gainfully and productively engaged.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports is responsible for the development, promotion and regulation of youth and sports in The Gambia.
The Department of Youth and Sports, under the Ministry, is the technical arm of Government for youth and sports matters established in 1973 under the then Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture.
In1997, a National Policy for Youth was drafted and approved in 1998 as a blueprint for the Gambian youth to engage them in a serious and meaningful national development.
The National Youth Council (NYC) is a satellite agency under the Ministry of Youth and Sports that coordinates the activities of all youth associations and organizations in The Gambia.
The NYC has more than 150 registered organizations and many working staff.
In the same vein, the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) was established in 1996 with the aim of providing the youth with requisite skills to address the acute problems of youth unemployment. NYSS specifically seeks to train the youth to appreciate the dignity of labour, the skills in them and the spirit of self-reliance and actualization. It also encourages them to be job creators.
From 2017 to 2019, the NYSS provided start-up kits worth over three million dalasis for 150 young people to start their own businesses.
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