Over 1,000 youths, including school dropouts, affected by the oil pipeline construction in the greater Masaka region have graduated after a short-term course in vocational skills training sponsored by the East Africa Crude Oil Pipe Line (EACOP).

The scholars from the five affected districts of Lwengo, Sembabule, Gomba, Kyotera, and Rakai were enrolled at the Masaka City-based Butende Vocational Training Institute.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, David Nanambi Wakyiku, the managing director of ASIGMA, an advisory and management firm that coordinated the skilling project, warned that youth who are reluctant to acquire hands-on skills will struggle to get employment in the future.

He emphasised that hands-on skills can quickly change fortunes: “We need to help our scholars access finance and markets so they can reap from their harvests. We have so far trained over 1,000 scholars, and we plan to enroll more even after the oil pipeline construction is complete".

He advised the graduates to venture into agriculture with a bias towards small-scale factories like maize mills. 

“We expect you to use the donated kits to change your lives and not sell them. We shall keep monitoring you to assess your progress,” Wakyiku said.

He said that their target is to positively impact the lives of over 1640 project-affected persons (PAPs) households (12,800 individuals), who are mostly women and youth, by creating sustainable earning projects.

He added that the programme has set up 41 agricultural demonstration gardens equipped with irrigation across the five districts to support the scholars in training schemes.

EACOP deputy managing director John Bosco Habomugisha said the programmes have significantly transformed the livelihoods of the affected people and their families.

“Our mission extends beyond mere infrastructure development; its leaving the beneficiaries in a better position than we found them, we are not just building pipelines but pathways to prosperity for generations to come,” he said.

The Masaka RCC, Hudu Hussein, warned the youth against engaging in unconstructive politics. 

“Do not get sucked into useless politics that is driven by selfish interests. Use these skills to uplift your lives,” he advised.

Hudu urged the youth to tap into opportunities provided by the government, including the parish development model, presidential industrial hubs, Emyooga, EACOP training, and enterprise-related opportunities.

Kyotera deputy chief administrative officer Muhamed Nfitimukiza thanked President Museveni for supporting the crude oil pipeline programme that will save the youth from unemployment.

He said the vocational skills development training targeting the youth is timely, adding that colonial theoretical education has not helped to transform the nation economically.