Africa-Press – Gambia. President Adama Barrow on Thursday donated 200,000 dalasis to women at the Brufut fish landing site, framing the contribution as part of a broader effort to empower women and young people and to stem irregular migration, commonly referred to as the “backway.”
The donation was disclosed in a statement from State House following an audience President Barrow held with a delegation from Brufut on New Year’s Day. During the meeting, the president also expressed condolences to families affected by recent migrant boat disasters near Jinack Island, tragedies that have once again drawn attention to the dangers of irregular sea crossings.
According to the statement, President Barrow also approved the construction of a new market in Brufut, a project the government said would expand economic opportunities in the community. The combined initiatives, the statement noted, are intended to create jobs and reduce the economic pressures that push many young Gambians to attempt perilous journeys abroad.
“To accelerate women and youth empowerment, President Barrow donated D200,000 to the women of Brufut fish landing sites and also approved the construction of a new market in the community. These quick interventions will equally create new employment opportunities and counter push factors driving irregular migration,” The Statement said.
The president used the occasion to urge young people to reconsider the risks of the “backway” and to refocus their energies on national development. Reflecting on his own time as a migrant worker in Europe, Mr. Barrow said his eventual success was rooted in his belief in opportunities at home, and he encouraged youths to pursue similar paths within The Gambia.
The statement added that Mr. Barrow expressed “profound sadness” over the loss of lives in the recent migrant boat incidents near Jinack Island, offering condolences to the bereaved families.
“His Excellency President Adama Barrow has with profound sadness expressed his condolences to the families of victims of migrant boat disasters around Jinak Island,” The statement reads.
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