By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, Aug. 6 (232News) – The Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura has called on the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) to help the Ministry to talk to young Sierra Leoneans to think productively and to believe in themselves.
The Minister was speaking during a two-day training workshop for Heads of Churches and Youth Leaders on the 29th – 30th July 2021 at the CCSL Hall, Kingharman Road, Freetown organized by All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) in collaboration with Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) in observance of World Day Against Human Trafficking.
The youth minister emphasized that young people are full of energy but what they lack in Sierra Leone is self-esteem.
He pointed out that they are doing their best as government but that things will not change overnight because things have spoiled for so long.
As a moral guarantor of young people in Sierra Leone, the Minister emphasized that he believes such engagement is not only the right step in the right direction, but also timely for them as Sierra Leoneans.
The Minister saluted CCSL and AACC for their input into the global issue, which rest on illegal migration and human trafficking and also expressed belief that the programme served as an important platform for all stakeholders, including religious leaders, policymakers, civil society, and private sector to work on established available cooperation on illegal migration and human trafficking in the country.
He disclosed that, in 2018, when President Julius Maada Bio visited Morocco, he said, most of the young people that are leaving Sierra Leone to get greener pastures in Europe or America is due to economic challenges.
He furthered that Sierra Leone has more young people now than ever before, which means that they have more challenges that have to do with young people now than ever before, a crisis that is now across Africa.
“We have more young people now in Africa than ever before. Therefore, the challenges of migration, substance abuse, unemployment are all challenges that we’re facing as young people, and it is novelty that amongst those involved in illegal migration and human trafficking are young people,” he stated.
He maintained that it is not wrong for one to move outside his or her country to look for greener pastures but it has to be done through legal means of exploring.
He disclosed that there is a programme government is undertaking through the Ministry of Labour in connection with Minister of Youth Affairs, approved by Cabinet for safe travelling of young people going out of the country, looking for greener pastures.
He reflected years back when young people were duped just because they were trying by all means to travel out of the country.
“People have collected money from young people all in the name of taking them overseas which did not happen and nothing came out it. Today we have the legal means of travelling to Dubai, Europe,” he assured.
He cautioned that one of the illegal means known as temple run has devastating consequences on young people and the Government of Sierra Leone, as good number of young people lost their lives in the Sub Sarah Desert and the Mediterranean Sea with the aim of accessing Euro and America.
“As a government, we are concerned about human trafficking, which is another serious criminal offence. Our young people are attracted by the movies showing fascinating environments abroad with opportunities to acquire skills and employment,” he stated.
The Minister also spoke about rural and urban migration and what they have done to reduce it.
He said that he has seen foreigners doing jobs that should be done by Sierra Leoneans just because of the lack of skills, but that with the support of IOM, they have started training 100 young people in Somboya on how to use the over 400 tractors and over 2,000 farm equipment which for the first time in the history of Sierra Leone have been secured by the Government to change the way of doing agriculture in the country.
He noted that they are also paying three months stipend to the youths by way of complementing the efforts of their partners.
He added that after the training, they will get certificates which will eventually hand them a job.
He also spoke about the fishing project to encourage young people that are living in urban areas, noting that in December last year, President Bio handed over 70 fishing boats and accessories to 1,400 young people and that in his wisdom again, the President wrote off 50% of the total cost of boats and accessories.
“Every young Sierra Leoneans life is important just as the Minister of Youth’s life is important to the President,” he affirmed.
