Man owes his claim of supremacy over other members of the living kingdom to his power of imagination. This he translates into action by means of some physical aids.

These take the form of machines and a horde of other forms of equipment. In order to reach this point, however, he required specialized skills that have evolved over time.

In virtually everything we do we employ some form of skills. The first world actually developed through skills training. Advanced countries are in fact advanced only simply because they outshine the rest of the world in the skills they use to put up all the domineering structures that we use today as yardstick in measuring development.

For instance, it took the Wright brothers some form of skills to assemble that historic aircraft that would revolutionize the transport industry generations to come.

Nonetheless, emerging trends show an unequivocal obsession for white-collar jobs. And this weighs down, with catastrophic consequences, our inclinations to skills related professions.

However, all indications are that sight has not been lost of this fact. The government of the Gambia is cognizant of the importance of a skill-based society, which has the potential to ensure uninterruptible supply of our development needs.

There is a great lot to point at in the ever enlivening crusade of uplifting the status of the youth of this country. The establishment of indispensable institutions like the National Youth Council, the National Youth Service Scheme etc, etc, as well as the increasing weight of support being exerted by government towards realizing these goals, by increasing youth representation at all levels of decision making, are all indications of the readiness of the leadership of this country.

First it was the groundbreaking presidential nomination, for the first time in the history of this country, of a youth into the National Assembly. Now we are talking about youth representation at all the local government councils across the country. All this leave the Gambia top in the global level of youth empowerment.

But all these giant efforts will remain insignificant if the youth folk themselves do not take ownership of the institutions being built for them. This is at the center of the message being conveyed by the Honorable SoS responsible for Youth and Sports affairs during the course of his first familiarization tour. SoS Mass Axi Gaye’s tour of institutions under his purview has introduced the accompanying press to what could be described as a potentially promising youth population.

The youth form the core treasure of a nation. An enterprising youth population accelerates its nation’s development processes. On the contrary, a dependent youth population is a burden; it hinders progress, and contributes to the shaping of a failed state. This is surely not what the Gambia wants to settle down for, hence its stance on the development of a skillful youth population.  

A dependable and reliable skill is very important for one’s livelihood. As in the words of the touring SOS: "if you are skilful, you will be self-employed, and the sky will be the limit." It is worth emphasizing as well that there is an enviable chunk of our youth folk that are keen to grab the opportunity being offered by government, but the larger society’s input is also fervently desired.  

If we asked the question: why do we desire imported goods over home made ones, very few people would advance tangible reasons for it. The President’s International Award, for instance, produces high-class household and office furniture that marches, both in quality and in standard, the normally expensive, imported ones that we scramble for.

That self-destructive attitude is another side of our life we ought re-examining. It is high time we realized that for as long as we remain dependent on foreigners for what we consume, we are always at their mercy, even in our own country.