Lawmaker from Foni Jarrol harps on irregular migration

By Binta Jaiteh

Hon Kebba Tumanding Sanneh, the National Assembly lawmaker for the Foni Jarrol constituency has urged the government to empower youth to avert the rampant irregular migration in the country.

He lamented in an interview that the situation is sad and worrying seeing the youths embarking on such a dangerous journey just to assist their parents.

He ranted that a few weeks ago, two hundred and forty-one youths perished and still some are yet to be found, while the government is still mute over it and the situation is getting worse even daily.

“Government needs to find out ways of making the youth employed because you don’t expect them to sit without being employed,” he lamented.

Hon Sanneh described the cause as economic migration but not illegal migration that is forcing dozens of these youths to migrate. “It is their right to migrate if at all their needs are not provided,” he supported their course. 

“The increment of the basic commodities has worsened the situation because it has increased the burden on the families and the youths will not sit and watch in that difficult situation,” he added.

Even those who are employed are now forced to migrate because the salaries are not enough to cater to all the needs considering the hard situation of the country.  

According to him, youths are not part of any opportunities, in this country if you say the fact people see it as politics which is endangering the country and politics is destroying our country. 

He concluded that it is high time for the government to address the alarming situation before it becomes a disaster.