'Don't blame Govt over poverty'

YUMBE - The National youth chairperson, Jacob Eyeru, has rallied the youth in the country to embrace the existing government programs meant to improve livelihoods of the citizens.

Speaking during the belated International Youth Day celebrations in Yumbe district on Friday, Eyeru said the youth stand no grounds to blame the government if they fail to develop amidst the various programs brought by government majority of which are targeting the young population.

He said, that in many parts of the country, the youth have continued to complain over unemployment, yet different government interventions can offer them opportunities to create their own jobs and earn a better living.

Citing Yumbe as an example, Eyeru said just in the ongoing Parish Development Model (PDM), over sh60b (30% of sh21b district received) is directed to the youth for their development, which funds he said are just enough to change youth to better if they utilize it for the purpose.

"PDM is here, and every district has 30% of the money for youth, my appeal is we should not see the funds as for the government. Let's borrow the money, eject in reproductive enterprises, and in one or two years, we shall return the capital but still have something left for us to continue with," he said.

He also urged the youth to be involved in other programs such as Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation, youth livelihood program, among others to benefit more.

Eyeru said the challenge they have identified with the young population in the country today is the negative mindset towards work.

He said most youth want things on a silver plate without struggle, yet the world has moved far away from the practice.

"Every country depends on its energetic labour force of age between 20-40 years. That's the time when your body can do anything beyond that, you are on borrowed time, you can no longer work hard, you cannot keep running strong to do business, so we should all think about our ages now before it's too late," Eyeru said.

Eyeru appealed to youth to be patriotic and love their society so that they will work hard to develop it.

"The development of the society where we live is our responsibility as youth. It's up to us to develop it or kill it for the next generation to come who are our own children," he said.

Yumbe district youth chairperson, Mahad Kassim Azabo, said the main challenge in the district is high rates of dependence caused by idleness.

He said youth make up over 70% of the population of the district which is about 700,000 people, but less than 20% of them engage in productive activities.

He said this has resulted in increased crime, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and drug addiction, among others.

He acknowledged that over sh2.9b was received in the district under youth livelihood program, and disbursed to the groups but over five years now, less than sh9m was recovered.

The district youth councillor for Yumbe also the secretary for social services, Samadu Aguku lauded the government for all the initiatives.

He challenged fellow youth leaders to carry on continuous sensitization to educate youth on importance of the programs coming in place and how to trap the opportunities to develop.

He also encouraged the youth to embrace education with a target to meet the current global target of digitalization.

The Resident District Commissioner for Yumbe, John Bosco Tumwesigwe, said that government is now focusing on the youth agenda for development of the country.

He called on the youth to consider the opportunity and ensure they positively develop in the regime.