At least 30 lawmakers were recently capacitised on issues relating to parliamentary proceedings, governance, resource mobilisation and peace building at a ceremony held at a local hotel in Senegambia.
The National Youth Council (NYC) in partnership with the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Assembly convened the training. The two-day training, which was bankrolled by the Peacebuilding Fund through UNDP, seeks to enhance mutual understanding and tolerance between political parties for effective and efficient legislative work.
The training also exposed lawmakers to the mandate, policies, and strategic programmes of the NYC.
Addressing the gathering, Bakary Y. Badjie, minister of Youth and Sports, described the training as timely and relevant, recalling that the last parliamentary election witnessed surges in youth interest in political participation through the electoral process.
"Young parliamentarians are social actors of change and progress and their contribution to national development cannot be over emphasized." he said.
Minister Badjie however, reminded that lawmakers must be provided appropriate exposures and opportunities to be mainstreamed and be the change needed in the society.
Therefore, the training, he added, would go a long way in helping them to function well and also entice youth in political participation.
He renewed his ministry's commitment to support youth empowerment and development to harness the demographic dividend.
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The Youth and Sport minister thanked the Peacebuilding Fund through UNDP for providing financial support for NYC and partners to implement the event.
Also speaking, Momodou A. Ceesay, clerk of the National Assembly, said the retreat would open opportunities for better representative democracy among young and dynamic parliament in this sixth legislature.
"This is very commendable as it shall add value and complement my office's efforts in building the capacity of honourable members of the parliament to better understand their core functions of legislation, oversight functions, and representation." he said.
"It is agreed that societies that give youth an equal chance to prosper and participate freely in social, political, and economic life are more peaceful and more prosperous."
Therefore, he assured that parliament and parliamentarians shall be encouraged to continue creating the enabling environment for youth political participation and decision-making processes.
Ousman Fatty, Chairman for NYC said the training would equip participants with the much-needed needed knowledge and understanding to enhance their performance especially on parliamentary issues.
Fatty urged participants to take the training seriously and share the knowledge gained with their colleagues to ensure wider spread of the information.
Pa Malick Ceesay, deputy director for NYC equally challenged participants to work with parliamentarians and also give them maximum respect as lawmakers.
