Pa Malick Ceesay, the executive director of the National Youth Council (NYC) has called on young people to invest more of their time, by engaging in useful activities to help in effecting positive social and economic changes in their lives and towards the shaping of a better future.

Mr Ceesay made these remarks last  Wednesday while deputising for SoS Mass Axi Gai, Secretary of State for Youths and Sports, at the opening of the 1st Youth Confence of the United Youth Association, held at the Bakau Community Development Centre  in Bakau New Town. The theme of the conference was: “Capasitise youths for positive social change”.

According to him, young people are not only the future leaders, but they are also the hope for the future and what they do today and how they do it, would reflect on their future.

On the use of hard drugs and illegal migration, he advised the youths to do away from these acts and further challenged those who always portray the young as the perpetrators of major crimes, to look into this carefully, “because in The Gambia, a youth is defined as some body under the age of 30.”

On the issue of unwanted teenage pregnancies, he strongly advised girls to exercise their intelligence and consider the difficulties, hindrances and harmful effects that are caused by teenage pregnancies.

For his part, Hatab Fadera, the secretary general of the United Youth Association (UYA), said that UYA is a youth organisation formed by students and non-students within Bakau and its environs in 2005.

The aim according to him, was to engaging young people in an organised group, in the quest to address pertinent issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness among youths, child rights promotion and related issues, as well as to empower each other in areas of education, in order to eradicate iliteracy among young people.

“We also try to discourage young people from the use of halmful drugs and educate them on reproductive health issues” he said.

Alagie Bahoum, the councillor of Bakau Newtown, said that it has become evident that no nation can achieve optimum developmental goals in the absence of youth participation.

He reminded the youths to note that they are the cream of society and involving them in political, societal and economic decisions in communities, is very important and indispensable.

He then cited discipline as an important pillar, noting that it has become a major concern to every body especially parents, as the lack of discipline would hinder the progress of youth development greatly.

Aida Bidwell of Gamtel, the national GSM service operator, which funded the conference, assured UYA of Gamcels continued support in all their future projects and plans. She further commended UYA for coming up with a course that will surely reap great benefits for young people.

Other speakers included Aja Ya Nyima Jammeh, who represented police adviser, FRI Jammeh, Lamin Manneh, UYA PRO and   

Jundu Drammeh of Child Protection Alliance (CPA.