By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
Following the controversial decision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) to dissolve the National Youth Council (NYC), the Minister of Youths and Sports, Henry Gomez has decided to reverse his decision to dissolve the NYC. Youth Activist, Muhammed MS Bah has confirmed that “he [the Minister] is going to reverse his decision and he will also handle the matter amicably with the NYC, however, he [the Minister] calls for maintaining of tension. Still then it is now two, three days and no letter has been received”.
In an interview with Flex Dan, NYC board member for Banjul, Modou Lamin Biram Bah disclosed that “the NYC stand is that they don’t recognise the letter as constitutional”. Asked if any official letter has been issued regarding the reversal of the MOYS decision his response was “we haven’t received any letter yet and we haven’t sent any letter yet to the ministry, all that we are doing now is to have internal discussions between us and the MOYS. We already have a plan which we will disclose via our spokesperson who will act between us and the media.”
Asked if Baboucarr Kebbeh’s post resulted in the NYC dissolution letter from the MOYS.
“All the young people believe that the dissolution was because of Baboucarr Kebbeh’s post but for him [Minister] he said he is in a reform process. We said the time the letter was sent to the NYC was a very bad time because it was the same time when Kebbeh did his post and its the same time that the NYC received the letter. We know that it’s unconstitutional because the ministry cannot dissolve this NYC. It has to be in the form of a dialogue. We are not the only satellite institution under the ministry of youths and sports. We know that we are on the right track. We are creating dialogue between us and the ministry.”
The full interview with ML Bah and MS Bah can be accessed at the Soundcloud link below.
https://soundcloud.com/gainako-radio/sets/nyc-dissolution
In the wake of the dissolution letter, the NYC board held two separate meetings with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the MOYS. Following the meeting with CSOs, NYC member, Baboucarr Kebbeh posted this update. “Council members and Civil Society Organizations met this afternoon to dialogue on issues around the illegal dissolution of the National Youth Council Board of Governance. The Youth leaders’ stand remains the same, Ministry must revoke his letter to allow further dialogue to help him build and rebrand the entire ministry. Further actions points will include Council meeting this Saturday and a press Conference on Monday among other actions pending the outcome of ministry’s senior management meeting today.”
After the meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Henry Gomez this update was provided following the meeting. “Members made a demand that he should revoke or revise his decision to dissolve the council which he assures the members that it will be resolve as he will engage the PS and other senior staff during their SMT meeting slated for Thursday 7th Sept. The dialogue will continue after their meeting.”