By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
In a press briefing held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Youth Affairs Minister Mohamed Orman Bangura presented the progress made towards the creation of 500,000 jobs for youths, a key promise in President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Manifesto.
Minister Bangura detailed six performance contracts signed with President Bio, emphasizing significant milestones achieved. Among these, he highlighted the provision of 5,000 jobs, the creation of skills for 1,500 young people, and the distribution of grants to 1,000 youths. Additionally, efforts are underway to ensure youth participation in governance, empower 70,000 youths, and positively influence the mindsets of at least 1,000 young people.
A pivotal development in the Ministry’s work has been the production of a comprehensive status report on the youth in collaboration with the World Bank and other partners. This report involved extensive research across all districts and chiefdoms, employing 200 researchers and three international consultants, alongside a consortium of local experts.
The Minister highlighted the ‘Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Empowerment’ project under the National Youth Commission, which aims to empower 8,000 young people. This initiative provides training, financial accounts, and placement in lucrative positions to ensure sustainable development.
In a bid to streamline youth empowerment efforts, Minister Bangura announced the creation of a $1.5 million project featuring an online platform, forum.youthaffairs.gov.sl, to facilitate access to job opportunities and other empowerment programs outlined in the Big Five Manifesto.
The Ministry also introduced a project supplying 70 boats equipped for fishing, with an additional 50 boats to be distributed next week. This initiative has already created 1,000 jobs and is expected to generate another 1,000 in its second phase.
Minister Bangura reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to diversifying empowerment opportunities across various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, and digital training centers. He expressed confidence in achieving the target of 500,000 jobs, underscoring the government’s dedication to youth employment and empowerment.