June 14, 2021
By Aruna Kamara
Residents of Bo have called on the Ministry of Youth Affairs not to allow the revised National Youth policy to gather dust as it has to be implemented to the fullest to address the welfare of the youths in the country.
Speaking to this medium yesterday, Jina Turay, a youth of Bo said that the launching of the revised national youth policy is what they were yearning to see, adding that it should not be like other government policies left on shelves to gather dust.
“We want to see the youth policy addressing the concerns of the youths. We have been neglected for quite a long time but with a tangible youth policy we can use it as a tool of advocacy to challenge issues relating to unemployment and other critical micro and macro variables.”
The concerns of the youths are coming at a time when on behalf of His Excellency the President, Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio, Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Thursday June 10th, 2021 officially launched the Revised National Youth Policy and National Dialogue Conference at the Freetown International Conference Hall, Aberdeen on the theme: “Empowered Youth Leading the Development of a New Sierra Leone”.
VP Jalloh delivering the keynote address noted that having travelled extensively across the country, he can testify to receiving positive feedback from the youths that have benefitted from the job creation and skills training programs undertaken by the Ministry of Youth.
He revealed the deep satisfaction youths have derived from programs such as the Car Wash, Youth in Fishing, and Youth in Agriculture in transforming lives and communities.
He stated that 19,100 acres have been cultivated by youths as well as acquiring capacity building in operating tractors and doing basic maintenance on them.
The National Youth Service which VP Jalloh said is contributing immensely to young people through promoting employment will be extended to the hospitality sector. He extended thanks from President Bio to the Ministry and its international development partners for doing wonderful work.
VP Jalloh however observed that there are challenges faced by youths that include limited access to employment, skills training, violence and marginalization. The government he assured is committed to supporting youth empowerment, noting this commitment is reflected in increased budgetary allocation to education, health and agriculture for food production and value chain addition.
Human capital development which he said President Bio is committed to is the ecosystem that will develop a viable environment that capacitates youth empowerment.
The President he added is committed to support the empowerment of youths by giving them space in government and in the everyday actions of giving youth issues priority at cabinet level.
VP Jalloh congratulated participants from various parts of the country and development partners for their contribution to the National Youth Policy.