By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
The National Assembly Member (NAM) for Kiang West, Lamin Ceesay, has called for an increase in funds allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Sports as believes that empowering more young people in the country will help reduce the issue of illegal migration, commonly known as ‘backway’.
Honourable Ceesay made these remarks during his deliberations on the appropriations bill for the 2024 budget.
He stated that the allocation of fifty thousand Dalasi to 32 Gambian youths by the National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI), which is responsible for training young people and providing support to small businesses, is insufficient. He believes that the government should do more to support young people and small businesses instead.
“We the youths of this country are telling you that this is a small commitment to the development of the youth sector. This is minimal. 1.6 million dalasi for 32 youths is very small,” he said.
He added that for the country to mitigate the high number of youths embarking on the ‘backway’ journey, the government needs to pump in a huge amount of funds into the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“To stop illegal migration, we need to empower the youth ministry. Looking at 50 thousand each to 32 youths is very minimal. In order to avert what is happening, we have to invest massive resources in the future of this country,” he pointed out.
NEDI supported 32 youths through loans after training some of them in entrepreneurship.
The Ministry of Youths and Sports, in the 2024 Budget, is allocated D122.3 million, an amount considered to be insufficient for the youth ministry.
In his response, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, said the money allocated to the Ministry of Youth Sports is an underestimation of money allocated to young people.
He said the ministries of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism are other ministries that have funds allocated to supporting the youths in their various programs.
