By Olimatou Coker
The President of the Barrow Youth for National Development, Ansu Singhateh has said his organisation will never act unlawfully and will continue to choose love over hate, reconciliation over revenge.
Singhateh made these remarks over the weekend during the handing over ceremony of 7 brand new pickup trucks and 14 motorbikes to its regional headquarters.
The PBYND according to Singhateh was formed to consolidate and mobilise community support and engagement of citizens in national development, and therefore making the president’s desire of transforming the country into a modern state a reality.
However, many political commentators including President Barrow’s own political native UDP have said the group is also masquerading as a political movement.
But Mr Singhateh and his colleagues in the PBYND have dismissed such claims, explaining that on the contrary, the group will serve as a shining example to all.
The vice president of PBYND, Sanusey Taal, said their key objective among other things are to foster social cohesion, national integration and development for all Gambians irrespective of tribe, race, colour or political affiliation.
“Our mission is to promote President Barrow’s ideals of a greater society that guarantees freedom, liberty, democracy and sustainable development for all through a comprehensive communal, regional, national and international initiative,” he stated.
He explained they intend to champion the president’s development aspirations through promoting and implementing his agenda towards enhancing civic education and youth empowerment.
He said the organisation will continue to mobilise funds to carry development projects for communities through the help of philanthropists.
“To achieve our mission and provide services in our community, we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses for support”, he said.
The organization said the vehicles and motorbikes will ensure effective implementation of their set activities.
“These vehicles and motorbikes donated by our generous philanthropists will go a long way in enabling us to reach to other far communities,” President Singhateh said.
He expressed gratitude to the president of the Gambia and many other partners for their confidence in the organisation.
Chairman, board of directors of PBYND, Alkali Conteh, said the organization is implementing 150 projects across the country ranging from horticultural gardens, boreholes, milling machines to mosques and churches.
According to Mr. Conteh, 62 projects out of the 150 have been implemented during the first phase with the remaining 80 to be implemented during the second and third phases across the country.
He said the vehicles and motorbikes are handed over to five regions, namely WCR, LRR, CRR,URR, and NBR respectively while two of the vehicles would be maintained at the organisation’s head office.
The PBYND secretary general, Kebba Lang Fofana said his organisation is bent on the actualisation of “a Gambia for all”, a vision centered on the practical ideal of President Barrow, who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in championing the realization of the “one Gambia, one people, one nation” call.
