The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (Gamworks) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, ,Employment and Regional Integration ; and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Wednesday launched a D5.054 million labour-intensive and waste management project under Gamjobs, at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) grounds.

The project has four basic components, namely: study tour to learn best practices in other African countries; waste management and labour-intensive technologies for sustainable livelihoods; and setting up of the youth in small and medium-sized enterprises.

The core objective of the project is to create employment for sustainable livelihoods for Gambian young people and to contribute to the curbing of the menace of illegal migration.In her official launching statement, Ada Gaye, the deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment said Gambia government has recognised the need for skills acquisition as proof of its commitment to uplifting the lives of the people particularly the young people, in whose hands, she maintained, the key to a prosperous Gambia solely rests.

Gaye told the gathering that the employment policy of The Gambia aims at creating more employment opportunities for the people, saying education and skills training are closely linked in that said policy.  The implementation of the project, she added, will go a long way in creating job opportunities in both formal and informal sectors.

While commending the project partners, Madam Gaye used the platform to implore on the beneficiaries (young people) that it is pertinent for them to have the mentality that their effective participation in the project will enormously contribute to the development of the country.

Ebrima Cham, the director general of Gamworks, disclosed that his office was tasked some 10 months ago by Gamjobs to prepare and present a project proposal on the practical approaches involved in the implementation of the labour-intensive and waste management technologies project. The project agreement, he said, is to implement a pilot scheme to be tried and tested in the local councils in the Greater Banjul Area. Cham told the gathering that upon its success and with the availability of funds, the project is expected to be replicated in other local councils nationwide.

He observed that after intensive nine months of untiring efforts of partners namely, the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) and the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) a total of 60 young people comprising of 55 male and five female have been mobilised, trained and well-equipped to take up the task involved in the two components of the project (labour-intensive and waste management). From the total number, he went on, 40 were trained on the theory and practical aspects of the production and laying of concrete pavement blocks while 20 were trained in the proper collection and disposal of domestic waste using motorised techniques.

DG Cham then reassured partners that Gamworks will continue to contribute its quota in assisting the government of The Gambia to tackle the unfortunate menace of illegal migration that is affecting the cream of the country (youth).He also reminded the young people that their well-being and that of their decent livelihoods are paramount to the government and that they must understand that the resources set aside for the project should be adequately utilised.

Momodou Touray,  on behalf of the UNDP resident representative in The Gambia announced that Gamjobs aims to give effect to an effective and versatile economy for The Gambia. He promised that the UNDP would continue to be a willing partner with The Gambia to support the country's development, saying, "we are hopeful that in this enterprise, our triangular partnership will only move from strength to strength".

Yankuba Colley, the mayor of KMC observed that job creation is fundamental to the socio-economic growth of any nation. Youth, he said, form an integral component of The Gambia and once they are empowered, there is always hope for sustainable development.

Mustapha Njie, the executive secretary of the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) who represented the mayor of Banjul agreed that the project would go a long way in solving the problem of illegal migration.  

At the end of the ceremony, equipment including wheelbarrows and 10 motorbikes were handed to DPS Gaye for onward transmission to the waste management component of the project while three concrete mixers were handed to the labour-intensive component.