A high-ranking delegation of the Gambia National Youth Service Scheme, comprising, Mr Musa Mbye, Executive Director of NYSS, Mr Ebou Joof, Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Youth and Sports and Mr Marchel Mendy Public Relations Officer of NYSS, led by Alh Babucarr Mbye Saho, Chairman of NYSS Board of Directors, today left Banjul International Airport for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The contingent is billed to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two institutions and to discuss specific issues relevant to the development of NYSS.

Speaking to the Daily Observer soon before their departure, Mr Musa Mbye, Executive Director of NYSS revealed that the scheme has been endowed with technical assistance, by the Directorate of Technical Aids Corps of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since its inception in 1996. This, he said, is within the framework of Technical Assistance Cooperation between The Gambia and Nigeria

According to him, government has for the first eight years sought and obtained the support of Nigeria, whose National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) already had some considerable experience that she was willing to share. "As a result of this support, some Nigerians were received at the NYSS every two years, while The Gambia builds its own staff capacity to manage the scheme. Since then, 14 Technical Aids Corps from the Nigerian Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Directorate have served the NYSS", he noted.

While thanking the two governments for their foresight and dedication to the empowerment of the youth, the NYSS Boss stated "since the inception of NYSS, the two development devices have been working together in the interest of the two nations and have unanimously agreed that it is high time that we meet to discuss and map out feasible strategies for the furtherance of the tiers of the two governments".