BY SAHR IBRAHIM KOMBA
232NEWS, FREETOWN
World Bank in collaboration with National Commission for Social Action has donated four brand new Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles worth over Two Hundred Forty Thousand US Dollars to the Minister of Youth Affairs and National Youth Commission. The event took place at the Youth Ministry on Friday 1st September 2023.
Speaking at the event the commissioner for National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) Ambassador Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina said that World Bank through Productive Social Safety Nets and Youth Empowerment (PSSNYE) donated the four vehicles to the Minister of Youth Affairs and the National Youth Commission for effective service delivery adding that World Bank is committed in promoting youth empowerment in Sierra Leone. He furthered that the President is passionate about youth empowerment noting that the gesture from World Bank will help the Ministry of Youth Affairs and National Youth Commission in carrying out effective service delivery in empowering the youths of Sierra Leone.
‘We will ensure that the vehicles received from World Bank through PSSNYE are used for the intended purpose’ he said.
He noted that this will help the Youth Ministry and Youth Commission to effectively and strategically carry out their work and urged the Ministry of Youth and National Youth Commission to collaborate in achieving effective service delivery in carrying out youth projects. He further called on youths to empower themselves through skill acquisition. He called on the youths to lead development programs in the country. ‘Drug addiction is a dangerous path and every youth should avoid harmful drugs,’ he cautioned.
The Minister of Youth Affairs Mohamed Orman Bangura expressed appreciation to World Bank and NaCSA for providing vehicles to his Ministry and Youth Commission noting that this will help accelerate effective service delivery. ‘We want to deliver on our mandates’ he said. He said that the President did not make a mistake in appointing him as youth Minister adding that his ministry has the energy to and deliver on mandate of President Bio. He called on the youths to take on leadership mantle noting that there is no better time than now. He furthered that President Bio has the willingness to empower the youths and that the mantle of leadership given to youths is a test case and urged youths to effectively deliver on their mandates.
He disclosed that his Ministry and Youth Commission do not have enough vehicles to carry out their numerous activities He further called on development partners to emulate World Band in promoting empowerment in the country. ‘We sometimes hire vehicles to carry out certain project in the provinces and this has led to the delay,’ he mentioned.
He urged the youths to engage in entrepreneurship and agriculture noting that entrepreneurship and agriculture are the future of Sierra Leone. He further called on the National Youth Commission and National Youths Service to collaborate when executing youth projects and that team work promotes effective service delivery.
