By Mariam Sankanu &
Olimatou Coker
Africa Institute of Governance and partners have recently ended a two-day training on skills enhancement for Gambian youths.
They were in partnership with the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, GCCI, Africa Consulting and Trading, and the Africa Capacity Building Foundation.
It targets 200 participants.
Ibrahima Dionga, the founder and chief executive officer of the Dakar-based Africa Consulting and Trading, advised young people to be time conscious and “pick up opportunities wherever they are thrown at them”.
Muhammad Jagana, GCCI president, said despite the fact that numerous young people acquired skills and are capable of owning their own businesses, lack of adequate capital means those skills would not be used.
“I believe that in The Gambia, we have trained people quite a lot now. A lot of youth, your challenge, from my understanding as a business person, is access to capital, access to finance, access to market and access to capacity. We hope at the end of this training program and the scheme that is being funded by Africa Governance Institute with the chamber of commerce, we should be able to design a platform that will allow young Gambian businesses to have access to capital in terms of equity to create jobs, and wealth,” he stated.
He added: “The whole workshop and the purpose of bringing all these youths together was to transform The Gambia so that the indigenous Gambian entrepreneurs will be in charge of our economy.”
Maty Ndiaye Cisse, representing Africa Governance Institute president – Dakar office, said the training seeks to create “very good business plans” for young people to become successful business personalities in The Gambia”.
She evinced hope that with the training, young entrepreneurs who own businesses could alleviate poverty and end lack of job opportunities in The Gambia.
