By Adama Makasuba
The tragic incident comes amid a mass exodus of Gambians, mostly men, and boys, traveling through the dangerous backway route to Europe for greener pastures as the unemployment rate hits a record-breaking. Baba Dibba, a stepfather to one of the victims, described the mass deaths as devastating and shocking, as he urged the government to help youths with jobs and job creation to address the mass exodus to Europe through the sea. “Bakary Dibba was a son to me. He left his wife behind. He was a disciplined and respectful young man. He was committed to his work. We are appealing to Barrow to help support the young people of the country with jobs and job creation to address this backway journey,” he said.
At least 21 Gambians from Bakau have died of acute hunger in a boat bound for Spain, leaving the country shocked.
Ramou Nyass-Ndow, who also lost a relative, described the incident as a gigantic loss to the country, especially the victims’ families. Ndow was a disciplined boy, but this is what God destined for him. This is very sad to us, and it’s not easy to take it, but we leave everything in the hands of God. Almost every two compounds you walk past, you will find a family mourning,” she said. Kemo Bojang, a Bakau resident, also said: “We’ve lost a lot of young people today, most of them our friends and people we grew up with. “
According to him, the boat reached Spain but unfortunately ran out of supplies, and a lot of them couldn’t stand the starvation and died on the way. “Always remember my brothers, who embarked on a perilous journey seeking hope and a better future but, tragically, never completed it. Their stories, struggles, and dreams will forever be a sad reminder of the urgent need to address corruption, impunity, justice, and the need to fight for the people that matter. For all of us who have been tasked to steer the affairs of this country, I hope we reflect before we sleep on how we have failed these young people,” he added.
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