The Gambia’s vice president Muhammed B.S Jallow has promised to engage the government in looking to address deportation of Gambians from Europe. 

VP Jallow’s promise comes as a group of young Gambians who identified themselves as Concerned Gambian Youths Network meet him to discuss the deportation issue facing Gambians in the diaspora. 

At least dozens of Gambians living in Europe have been deported in the recent months. Migrant rights activists have been calling on the government to step up efforts and address the issue.

Meanwhile, the group said in a statement that they have been denied a permit to hold a peaceful protest to express their concern. 

“The youth group in collaboration with the Gambia Refugees Association Europe Branch have earlier in May applied for a police permit to organise peaceful demonstration in Gambia against deportation but the police refused to issue the permit since May. 

“They were asked to write a petition to state their concerns about the deportation of Gambians from Europe and send the petition to State House, IGP, IOM, Immigration Department, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Justice which they did,” the group said in a statement.

The group added that the vice president Jallow has expressed concern about the deportation trend during their meeting at State House. 

“He promised to engage the Gambia government and see what efforts could be done to minimise it. He also talked about the concerns raised about the plight of the deportees,” the group added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba