MoYA and UNDP Discuss Employment Opportunities with Youth Leaders and Key Stakeholders

Tuesday 16th March 2021, the Ministry of Youth Affairs MoYA and the United Nations Development Programme UNDP today held a one day planning meeting with youth leaders and other stakeholders on the theme. Strengthening Youth Inclusion in Decision Making Structure in Sierra Leone. Addressing the gathering, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Mohamed Orman Bangura disclosed that Agriculture is one of the flagship programmes of his Ministry. He said the programme will enhance food availability and employment opportunities for over Ten Thousand youth nationwide. Minister Bangura described the meeting as a step in the right direction since it is an opportunity for the youth leaders representing various youth groups across the country to have a say in the project implementation. He encouraged Sierra Leonean youth to take full responsibility for the opportunities accorded them under the New Direction Administration. The Hon. Minister of Youth Affairs extended his appreciation to UNDP for the commitment and support to the ministry. He encouraged them to continue helping the youth as his ministry is always ready to commit its services to the future leaders of the country. The UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Rokya Ye Dieng registered her organization’s gratefulness to the Ministry of Youth Affairs for the invitation to witness the consultative meeting. Madam Rokya Ye Dieng explained how passionate she was to work with the ministry to look into issues affecting the youth population of Sierra Leone. She noted that UNDP is aware of the population rate of youth in Sierra Leone as she said, Investing in youth and young population is a core obligation for us if we are to achieve the SDGs. The UNDP Deputy Resident Representative further noted that her organization has a long standing partnership with the Minister and with the Ministry. In the recent past, the Government of Sierra Leone, having prioritized youth development engaged with UNDP to implement phases of youth employment and employability programmes, she affirmed. Madam Rokya Ye Dieng highlighted some of the activities they have collaborated with the Ministry of Youth Affairs on including the Youth in Car Wash Project, the National Youth Commission Graduate Internship Programme and National Youth Policy among others. She reaffirmed UNDP continuous commitment and support to the Ministry of Youths Affairs in implementing projects that positively impact the lives of youth in the country. The Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Youth Affairs, Hon. Abdul Kargbo in his statement showered praises on the Minister of Youth Affairs, noting how the young minister is passionate to tackle issues affecting the lives of youth across the country. The Honourable Member of Parliament further stated that, the way we handle the youth of today will be the way we want Sierra Leone to be tomorrow. He, therefore, admonished the youth to work harder in their youthful age to gainfully contribute to national development. Hon. Abdul Kargbo informed UNDP about the monitoring they have conducted into the workings of the ministry and stated that the outcome of their research shows that the Ministry of Youth Affairs is taking good care of whatever resources UNDP have been assigning to them. Rounding up, Honourable Abdul Kargbo encouraged UNDP to continue to invest in the youth sector in the country through the Ministry of Youth Affairs.