On Tuesday, the 14th of May 2024, the Presidential Delivery Team and Human Capital Development Unit of the office of the President comprising the Presidential Adviser on Youth Desmond Pessima, Dr. Alpha Wurie, Alpha Timbo Esq, Adviser to the President on Parliamentary Affairs, Adviser to the President on Social Welfare, and Director of the Human Capital Development office of the Chief Minister, I paid a courtesy call to Mohamed Orman Bangura, the Minister of Youth Affairs.
In his PowerPoint presentation to update the team from State House, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura, intimated that the mission of the ministry is to create an enabling environment with Positive intervention strategies that will inspire and transform the lives of youth in Sierra Leone, through developing, implementing, directing, coordinating and monitoring policies and programs to enhance and promote youth activities and employment nationwide.
The Youth Minister also disclosed that the core mandate of his ministry is to collect data, develop and maintain database and management information systems in the youth sector; formulate policies, develop plans, and propose legislations and amendments in the youth sector; Coordinate and direct the programmes and activities in the youth sector in line with the National Development Agenda; monitor the youth sector performance, policies, plans, programmes, and projects; implement policies, plans, and enforce legislations guiding the youth sector, among other things.
Highlighting the challenges faced by the ministry, particularly in the last year, 2023, Minister Bangura said late Disbursement of Funds to Support the Delivery of Activities, Slow Social Mobilization and Youth Cohesion, Lack of interest by young people to venture into agriculture-(Make Agriculture Sexy to Young People), Continued Infantilization of Young People in their Community to Access Opportunities, Insufficient Infrastructure to support Productivity Participation of Young People in the Economy, Limited Office Space and Office Equipment, Poor coordination with other MDAs, and Inadequate funds to implement Project Activities are the many challenges the ministry is grappling with.
“However, we recorded some achievements in 2023, which include, induced by the Coastal Risk Project- With Support from UNDP, a Skills Training Center Constructed and Supported with Teaching Materials (Salon, Tye-dye, Soap Making at Hamilton), UNDP Supported the Procurement of 10 Kekehs, Induced Coastal Risk Project, UNDP supported the Development of A Public-private Partnership Framework and Gender-based Violence, UNDP Supported Stakeholders Engagement to Develop the Operational Manual of the Youth Connekt Centers and Management and Functional Review conducted and a new structure approved for the Ministry,” he said.
Minister Bangura also updated the Presidential Delivery Team on the ministerial performance outputs, which include Jobs created for 5,000 youth by the end of 2024, Capacity enhanced for 1500 youth through training in various skill sets (gara tie dying, saloon, apprenticeship in bike cycle, welding marking), 1000 youth nationwide have increased access to grant, increased by 50% youth participation in Community Leadership, Decision making, and Governance,
Seventy thousand (70,000) youth jobs were created through project activities, surveys, lobbying, and the promotion of 1000 youths' behavioral change to foster patriotism, national cohesion, and civic responsibility.
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