Youth Empowerment has to be in practice- Says Communications Minister
Ousman A. Bah, Minister for Communications and Digital Economy has pointed out that youth empowerment is not just a mere rhetoric on paper but in practice.
He noted that for many, Youth Empowerment is a mantra on paper, and that this has become a cliché, adding that “but for me, the government, Youth Empowerment is not only mere rhetoric on paper but in practice.”
Bah made these remarks over the weekend while the National Youth Council held the 2nd edition of the Youth Connekt Gambia Summit at the Sir DawdaKairabaJawara Conference Center in Bijilo.
On behalf of President Adama Barrow, he said the summit is a significant gathering and a milestone in the development of the youths.
The Summit brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss how to achieve National Employment Action Plan, youth goals and National Employment Policy 2021 to 2026.
The forum is used as a platform in the Gambia and other African countries to discuss issues confronting young people within their countries, discuss business ideas, models and chart out a way to ensure greater support to the ideas of youths in business, digitalization, environment, and other social impact intervention programs.
Bah further noted that his government is aware of the realities on the ground, and the need to create more job opportunities for the youth, and that his government is not oblivious to the fact that the youths are the backbone of any nation.
This, he said, is the reason the Gambia government is working diligently to ensure that the youths gain meaningful employment in this country.
He outlined that the Youth Connekt Initiative was launched back in 2012 by the Government of the Republic of Rwanda and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with the overall goal of this Pan-African multidimensional initiative is to engage young people in all spheres of nation building including enhancing their own (economic) empowerment.
He added that the model was endorsed by the AU as a major implementing modality of the African Youth Charter, and equally has been embraced by a good number of AU Member States for its innovative design and implementation, policy harmonization, harnessing Programs, and Partnership within the country.
Speaking at the occasion, Bakary Badjie Minister of Youth and Sports said that the Youth Connekt as initiated by Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, is a flagship for African youths to connect and share experiences and skills among themselves.
Minister Badjie commended participants to utilize the opportunities to learn and connect as much they can, as they are expected to actively engage with honesty in their deliberation.
