Africa-Press – Gambia. Pro-youth associations and youths of North Bank Region have embarked on advocacy efforts to allocate 5% of their council’s development budget to youth and sports initiatives.
In a concerted effort to promote inclusive youth participation in governance and development, the Eco-Zone Office of Action Aid International The Gambia (Juffureh Office), in partnership with the UN Peacebuilding Fund through the Youth Peacebuilding Initiative (YPI), organized an interface meeting between youths and the Kerewan Area Council.
The event, held Thursday at the Governor’s Bantaba in Kerewan, North Bank Region, was part of ongoing advocacy efforts to allocate 5% of the council’s development budget to youth and sports initiatives.
The two-year project is jointly implemented with other partners including the Department of Youth and Sports, Safe Home for Migrants Association (SaHMA), and Global Platform The Gambia (GP). The initiative aims to foster peacebuilding while empowering women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Maimuna Jallow, Eco-Zone Coordinator for Jimbana Bolong in Upper Nuimi, emphasized the significance of the interface, highlighting its potential to enhance transparency and inclusivity in local development planning. She revealed that ActionAid International has trained 12 Village Development Committees (VDCs) in Lower Nuimi, Jokadou, and Lower Badibou ensuring youth representation and participation in decision-making processes.
Deputy Governor Dembo Samateh commended ActionAid’s continued support in strengthening local governance and citizen empowerment. He praised the strong collaboration between the Kerewan Area Council and the Regional Youth Committee and affirmed the Governor’s Office’s commitment to supporting the youth’s advocacy for a 5% budget allocation. He also applauded efforts to promote gender inclusion in district tribunals and acknowledged the recent increase in allowances for tribunal members across all seven districts.
Alasan Keita, Director of Planning and Development at Kerewan Area Council, reiterated the council’s dedication to a people-centered development approach. He described youth as vital stakeholders and encouraged them to develop well-structured activity plans to guide the council’s fund allocation processes. Keita emphasized the importance of decentralized structures such as VDCs and Ward Development Committees in promoting youth-focused development initiatives.
Alagie K. Saho, Vice Chairman of the Kerewan Area Council and Ward Councillor for Pakau Ward, expressed his satisfaction with the maiden interface between the council and youth representatives. He called for policy reviews to align with the Local Government Act, noting that council budgets are finalized through the Ministry of Regional Government. Saho disclosed that the council currently sponsors the tuition of 20 NYSS cohort members and stressed the need for youth participation in community development structures to ensure their interests are adequately represented.
Lamin Sima, Regional Youth Coordinator, described the convergence as timely and critical, providing a platform for constructive dialogue on youth priorities. He acknowledged the council’s historic contribution of GMD 650,000 during the last NAYCONF and encouraged continued coordination and consultation between youth representatives and district youth committees.
The consultation was facilitated by Ebrima Jallow, a lecturer at the Rural Development Institute, who underscored the importance of participatory processes in project identification and prioritization to strengthen governance and community engagement.
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