Mass Axi Gai, SOS for Youth and spSport, on Wednesday, April 9, officially inaugurated the national organizing committee of the 2008 National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) at  the board room of the Independence stadium in Bakau.

The biannual youth conference and festival which is expected to bring together over 500 youth country wide will take place in the month of December, this year, and it will be hosted by the north bank region in Farafenni Town. The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Invest in youths for sustainable development”.

The committee inaugurated has Alhagie Kebbeh, chairperson of NYC, as the chairperson of the national organizing committee, and it comprises nine sub-committees. Other members included Fabakary Kalleh, Musa Mbaye, Lamin Camara, Malang Jassy, Donald Sock and Abdoulie Bah, as heads of accommodation and health, feeding, conference, protocol and transport, sports, and market, publicity and fund raising sub-committees, respectively.

The finance sub-committee would be headed by NYC’s financial officer, whilst the security and safety, culture and award sub-committees were left in the hands of the Gambia Police Force and the department of state for Tourism and Culture, respectively.

The roles and responsibilities of the NOC, among other things, are to establish various sub-committees and to help facilitate their work, raise the required funds necessary for the overall programme, produce a report at the end of the programme, as well as to develop a programme for the NAYCONF.

The committee shall also assess progress and make necessary adjustments, identify invitees for the event, develop a theme for the events as well as ensure the overall success of the 2008 National Youth Conference and Festival.

In his inaugural speech, Mass Axi Gai, SOS for youth and sport, implored on the NOC to put all hands on deck and ensure that every thing proceeds as plan in a bid to achieve the common objectives of 2008 nayconf.

“Though December might look very far, in actual fact it is just at the corner. So we must start preparations in earnest if we want to make 2008 nayconf a success,” he said, adding “you as a committee with a vast of experience in the activities of nayconf, you must learn from your weaknesses and try to overcome them so as to avoid shortcomings.”

While challenging the NOC to engage and sensitize the people at the regional level, SOS Gai pledged his department’s fullest support to the noble venture, noting that even though no official budget was allocated to the activities of the event, his department of state was also working tirelessly as to what they will be doing for the 2008 nayconf.

Alhagie Kebbeh, chairperson of the national organising committee, challenged his colleagues to work hand in glove in a bid to ensure a succesful nayconf in north bank. He drew his colleagues attention to some of the challenges and constraints that occurred in the 2006 Brikama nayconf.  Their constraints, according to him, included both financial and organizational, thus urging the NOC members to learn from there mistakes and live up to the expectation of the event.

While commending president Jammeh and his able vice president for their unflinching support during the 2006 nayconf in Brikama, Kebbeh expressed hope that the 2008 nayconf would register more success.

Speaking earlier, Malang Jesey, director of youth and sports, called for total involvement of all citizens, noting that nayconf is a national event which creates a platform for the youthful population of the country to discuss pertinent issues affecting them.

Pa Malick Ceesay, executive secretary of the national youth council, said that the aim of the event, among other things, is to bring young people from all corners of the country so as to enable them have greater understanding of issues affecting them, as well as accepting each other and explore means through which they can contribute to national development.