By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has pledged a substantial investment of D3 million for NAYCONF 2024, as revealed by the Youth Councillor, Mr. Kemo Bojang.
This announcement was made during the launch of the National Organising Committee of NAYCONF 2024, hosted by the Gambia National Youth Council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday at a hotel in Bijilo.
“We believe that the Gambia might not be the most empowered country when it comes to natural resources, but one of the most important resources we have is our young people. Considering that almost 70% of this population is young people, we believe that empowerment needs to be given to them. That being the case, KMC will also invest up to D3 Million Dalasi from our budget into the NAYCONF 2024. We are very much committed to making sure that this NAYCONF becomes one of a kind, and we are hoping that it becomes a NAYCONF that will be remembered for years to come,” he said.
The Kanifing Municipality is set to host this year’s NAYCONF, with the committee’s launch marking the start of extensive preparations.
“We have seen the great work that Banjul has done during the last NAYCONF, and we are hoping that we will be able to learn from them, look at their challenges, and build on it to make sure that this NAYCONF we are going to host becomes one of a kind. We are also committed to raising awareness of what NAYCONF is,” Bojang said.
He added that it used to be a vibrant youth week in the past. Unfortunately, over the years they have lost a lot of relevance to the program.
“One of the main positions that we are looking at is how we empower and increase the visibility of NAYCONF. Isatou and her team have been working tremendously well in coming up with a slogan to make it attractive, especially online. On the issues of NAYCONF, and what we are planning to do,” said Mr.Bojang.
Mr. Bojang also emphasized the importance of educating young people about the National Development Plan (NDP), which he believes is essential for inclusive development across the nation.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Bakary Y. Badjie, reiterated the government’s support for NAYCONF 2024.
“We want every person living in the Municipality and in the country to know that NAYCONF is back to the glory days that it used to be, an activity of not just conference and sports, but of culture that promotes our unity and the peaceful co-existence of our people. There will be an activity that is going to serve as a platform for young people of this country to interact, share ideas and learn from each other. But also critique what they think is not going right in the governance of this country as well as in the societal issues that we continue to fix, in that being economic and political issues or the general development of this country,” Hon. Badjie said.
Hon. Badjie stressed the significance of the National Organising Committee’s role in the event’s success.
“We are committed to having a successful NAYCONF and a NAYCONF with a difference, and it starts from today. We are inaugurating the National Organizing Committee and I hope that each one of you that has accepted to serve will also avail your time, your energy, and if necessary your resources towards the success of this event,” Hon. Badjie said.
Ida Jatta, Chairperson of the National Youth Council, highlighted the relevance of the selected thematic areas for discussion, which aim to advance the interests of young people in the Gambia.
NAYCONF, a biennial event managed by the National Youth Council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, aims to bring together over 2,000 young people from across the country and beyond. This week-long event, scheduled for December 17-24, 2024, in the Kanifing Municipality, provides a platform for interaction, experience sharing and addressing key issues affecting youth.
Initially known as the National Youth Week, NAYCONF has evolved since its inception in Banjul in 1974/1975 and Basse, URR in 1975. It has grown into a dynamic forum incorporating stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector, reflecting its expanding role in youth development.