The Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council will today commence his first nationwide tour, dubbed as “Meet the youth groups and vous tour.”

The tour which will take the Executive Secretary to the length and breadth of the country, will afford him the opportunity to meet and discuss with young people issues of concern affecting their life.

It will also help him in his quest to sample the opinions of young people with regards to the current development projects and also why young people insist on venturing into perilous journey, through the “back-way.”

According to Marchel Mendy, the Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council, the five-day tour will also acquaint him with first hand information about how young people who risk their lives in this dangerous routes get their sources of funding.

On why the ‘back-way’ phenomenon is of paramount importance to his tour, Mendy said “this unfortunate epidemic is showing no signs of ending and there is no denying that it is wrecking this country. It is my fervent belief that this is addressed now. However, it can only be solved if its root causes are established. The trek will discuss a wide range of issues on the way forward for the youth and also the contributions of the young people towards national development.”

Mendy urged young people to desist from the ‘back-way’ phenomenon, arguing that there are some good opportunities here in The Gambia for young people to tap, which he said, are often utilized by aliens.