The Poverty Employment Study Report was recently launched at the Paradise Suites Hotel, in  Kololi.

In his launching statement, Hon Abdou Colley, secretary of state for Trade Industry and Employment said that recent developments in the socio-economic arena in The Gambia have necessitated focusing increased attention to employment creation.

 He disclosed that in 2002, the government formulated and adopted a national employment policy and action plan, with programmes and projects to accelerate the creation of more employment opportunities.

According to him, GAMJOBS is an off-shoot of the 2002 national employment action plan, and was launched in early 2007. "This study commenced in 2007 and was conducted by the International Poverty Centre at the University of Manchester.  As you may be aware, the operationalisation of the National Employment Policy and Action Plan is to be achieved through The Gambia Priority Employment Programme," he said.

He then stated that as the macro economic environment continues to indicate positive growth, The Gambia is also grappling with the challenges of poverty and rising levels of unemployment.  "It is therefore important to affirm that The Gambia government and the Department of State for Trade is committed to the belief that the creation of job opportunities is one of the best means of alleviating poverty and achieving the MDGs within the ambit of the PRSP and Vision 2020," he concluded.

It could be recalled that the government in her efforts to address the growing unemployment and poverty situation with the support of the UNDP and the International Labour Organisation, launched the Gambia Priority Employment Programme (Gamjobs), to operationlise the National Employment Policy (NEP) and the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP).

The objective was to give effect to the development of a skilled, versatile, dynamic and effective work force thereby creating self employment opportunities in both the formal and informal economy within the context of Vision 2020, the PRSP and the MDGs.