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Gambia: FJC Explains Why Children Are Important

The Daily Observer (Banjul)
April 25, 2006
Alhagie Jobe

Honourable Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, a nominated member of the National Assembly and chairperson of the National Assembly Select Committee on Women and Children, has reaffirmed government's commitment to ensure a bright future for Gambian children.

Speaking yesterday during the celebration of the Early Childhood Development week (ECD) at the National Assembly grounds on the theme: "Raising the profile of early childhood development in The Gambia", Hon Jahumpa-Ceesay said Gambians believe that children are a gift from God and are therefore precious. She maintained that they are to be well taken care of, especially in their formative years, which is between 0-8 years.

According to her, the Gambia government through collaboration with partners has been providing nutritional programmes for children as well as immunizing them against childhood illnesses such as hepatitis B, influenza, tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis.

She said this year's theme rightly suggests that social services provision for children between 0-8 years needs to be given greater prominence in the national agenda, noting that investing in the ECD is an opportunity that must be seized so as to achieve the Education for All goals, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Plans and the Millennium Development Goals.