By Aji Fatou Faal
The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB) has trained 30 SMEs on quality management and safety-Part II which brings together trainers from both quality–oriented and food safety oriented groups at the Khamsys Conference Hall at Bijilo.
Papa Secka, director general of TGSB revealed that they began with rolling out successfully the training of trainers in October last year.
This was followed by rollouts of step-down trainings in NBR and CRR done by some of them who were trained. “We also concluded a training of Lead Auditors in ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System for eight youths who met the selection requirement. We have had to amend the MOU due to some challenges”.
As such, he continued that they thought it would be better to conduct the rest of the step-down trainings in the three regions and to conduct a follow-up training, otherwise known as phase II.
According to him, in this phase II, their training skills were horned and diversified along with creating the necessary synergy between those trained in food safety and the quality group. Also the relevant networking through the Quality Association of the Gambia is further enhanced, adding that their other activities include the creation of branches of this association in all the regions.
DG Secka said that as their competent trainer has been stressing, “I’ d also buttress the fact that there are quite a lot of other skills and areas within the broad area of quality that they also should understand and training skills on and some of these shall constitute activities if future MOUs.”
Hassan Gaye, director of Industry and Investment at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment noted that in his capacity as the YEP steering Committee Chair, expressed delight to be associated with this second phase capacity-building activity undertaken by the Gambia Standards Bureau in partnership with ITC.
According to him, he refers to the upcoming launch of the Skills for Youth Employment Fund (SKYE) which would be accessible to institutions and organisations for the purpose of equipping Gambian youth with market-relevant and vocational skills. He therefore urged them and the YEP Project to explore means to ensure the skills of these trainers are effectively utilized through integration in training opportunities brought by the SKYE fund.
Fatou Mbenga Jallow, YEP National Coordinator and Senior Adviser said that for YEP, the trainings are important particularly the ongoing one in terms of quality and food safety. She said they were doing some intervention in other areas such as agric business, tourism, fashion and design, ICT among others.
Margareta Funder Von Kircchbach, ICT expert trainer opined that quality is a journey more than a destination and it is a continuous improvement, innovation going and developing excellence in individuals and organisations.
Sunkung Danso, trainer delivered the vote of thanks and certificates were awarded to all participants.
