When he was campaigning for president last year, Adama Barrow promised he would create jobs and economic opportunities for Gambian youth.

One year into his presidency, the majority of the country’s young people are still with no work and no real prospect in sight.

One Ebrima Saidy, who recently graduated from the University of The Gambia (UTG), told What’s On-Gambia: “There are no jobs in this country and this is very painful for someone like me who spent four years at the UTG to get a degree.”

What happened to Barrow’s campaign promise?

In an interview with opposition politician, MC Cham Jnr of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), he argued that Barrow and his government has no strategic plan that could help make The Gambia a great country for young people.

“He has not yet created any job for Gambian youth since coming to power.  This is why some of them are getting involved in anti-social and criminal behaviour. Anywhere you go in this country right now, you would find young people sitting in street corners doing nothing.”

During a National Assembly sitting, the leader of the PDOIS party and National Assembly Member for Serre Kunda , Hon. Halifa Sallah told his colleagues that over 400,000 Gambians come out of the country’s school system every 12 years.

He suggested the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment should introduce an employment exchange program that could help bring school graduates into work.