By Fatou Sillah
The Gambian government has selected between 30 and 35 workers for the second phase of its labor migration program with Spain, pressing ahead with the initiative despite setbacks in the first cohort, when several participants absconded before completing their contracts.
In a recent interview, the minister of trade, industry, regional integration, and employment said the government was determined to draw lessons from the earlier experience while preserving what it views as a critical pathway for legal migration and employment.
“Absconding is not unique to The Gambia,” the minister said, noting that other countries in the region had faced similar challenges in the early stages of such programs.
“That is one lesson to learn. That is why we are saying for the second batch, and luckily, the program is continuing; plans are quite advanced to make sure that the second batch leaves. Already 30 or 35 people have been selected for that role,” he said.
Preparations for the second group are well underway, he said, with departures expected soon. Unlike the initial cohort, participants in the new batch are expected to begin earlier in the agricultural season and remain in Spain for the full nine-month period stipulated by the program.
Officials believe the adjusted timeline will allow workers to maximize their earnings and return home in time for a three-month break before becoming eligible for future cycles.
“When Gambians stay anywhere outside for about nine months, their next instinct is to come back and enjoy their holidays. You will rest for about three months, and then you will be available for the next season.”
The minister said, suggesting that a structured rotation could encourage compliance and repeat participation.
To address concerns about abscondment, the government is overhauling its monitoring systems both domestically and abroad. The measures include strengthened reporting mechanisms, expanded support services for workers in Spain, and incentives aimed at encouraging participants to complete their contracts.
“We want to develop a framework and mechanism of reporting and monitoring and support services so that anybody who has joined the scheme is incentivized to stay and also serve as ambassadors for others,” He Said.
The program is part of broader efforts by the government to provide safer, regulated alternatives to irregular migration, often referred to locally as the “backway,” a route that has claimed many lives.
“We want to encourage everybody to understand that this is a much better opportunity and a much safer way to travel than what happened in Backway,” the minister said. “It’s good to travel, but it’s not worth losing a life.”
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