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First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs Rebbecca Alitwala Kadaga has urged Busoga residents to embrace the presidential skilling hubs.

According to her, the hubs will solve the unemployment problem in Busoga region and the rest of the country.

She made the call at Busoga Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub in Jinja city while passing out 456 youths after vocational skills training.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga admires some of the garments made by the youths tailors at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

“I want to thank the President for this life-changing initiative of skilling our youths who are now job creators. I also thank the State House for steering these hubs so well to ensure that the vision of the President is achieved,” Kadaga said.

The former Speaker of Parliament, who is also the Kamuli District Woman Member of Parliament, congratulated the graduates and pledged her support together with that of fellow Busoga MPs to support all proposals by the State House comptroller and her team that were in line to further the President’s skilling programme.

Remain active, desist from gambling

“I congratulate all our graduates and thank you for completing the course. Now that you are skilled, I don’t want to hear you just playing cards in the villages. You need to be different by doing something for income like some of your colleagues who have testified here,” Kadaga said.

The trainees from 11 districts: Kamuli, Iganga, Bugiri, Mayuge, Jinja, Luuka, Bugweri, Buyende, Kaliro, Namutumba and Namayingo completed their vocational training and were awarded certificates in seven disciplines: Bakery & confectionery, tailoring and design, hairdressing and makeup, building and concrete practice and carpentry & joinery, welding and metal fabrications and leather processing (shoe making).

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga inspects some of the leather products made by the youths at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

Kadaga was happy to hear girls were interested in male-dominated courses such as welding and metal fabrication, building and construction and carpentry. This also applied to the males who acquired skills in tailoring and design, bakery and confectionery and hairdressing and makeup, which are predominantly for women.

Team up

“I call upon you to come together, form groups and work together. If for example a tailor, a baker and a hairdresser came together, they can form a bridal company where a tailor will make wedding gowns, a baker will make wedding cakes and a hairdresser will provide salon services,” she advised.

According to her, the same applies to welders, carpenters and builders who may also come together and form a complete building and construction company.

“I’m impressed by the work of this skilling programme and from what I have seen around, we don’t need to import hospital beds. They are here. I, therefore, want to ask the Government to continue supporting these youths by marketing their output and encouraging them to do more,” Kadaga added.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga admires some of the confectionary products baked by the youths at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

She promised to support the skilled youth in Busoga with at least 15 sewing machines per district and to provide a workspace for them to operate from.

Project timing is the best

Minister for Presidency Babirye Milly Babalanda said the skilling programme has come at the right time when the region (Busoga) is grappling with the high rate of youth unemployment perpetrated by the high school dropout rate.

Some of the youths from Busoga region express their excitment as they graduated in different skilling programmes at the Jinja based Busoga Zonal Hub. (PPU Photo)

“Here in Busoga, we had a challenge of high school dropouts and many had resorted to working in sugar[cane] plantations but the President thought it wise to begin these industrial skilling hubs and today, we are seeing the fruits of his vision. We have to support him to continue his dream,” Babalanda said.

She added that the President spends over shillings four million on each student in terms of feeding, accommodation and training for the six months they spend in the 19 skilling hubs across the country.

“Let me also use this opportunity to thank the State House comptroller and her team for overseeing this project so well. It is true the funds are insufficient but as Minister for the Presidency, I cannot do this alone but with your support, Mama Kadaga and other MPs, so that many more youths can benefit from this programme,” Babalanda said.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga admires some of the garments made by the youths tailors at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

Parents rallied on support provision

She further called upon parents to support their children to achieve their dreams.

“The government under the visionary leadership of H.E the President has done its part. As parents, let’s also do our part by providing what we can to support these youth. Don’t put a lot of demands on them because they are just starting in life. All of us are called upon to continue supporting the President so that he continues with his vision of ensuring that all Ugandans are skilled. This is how we shall reach and thrive in the middle-income status,” Babalanda said.

Changing the mindset

Speaking at the event, the director of the presidential projects and industrial hubs at State House, Eng. Raymond Kamugisha informed the chief guest that the President saw it wise to start Presidential hubs after his countrywide assessment that Ugandans were poor partly because they lacked what to do and many were working only for the stomach.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga admires some of the carpentry products made by the youths at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

“We are glad that his dream of skilling the youths with employable skills has come to pass. We have 19 hubs across the country and together with the state house Comptroller we have traversed this country passing out hundreds of youths who have now become job creators rather than job seekers. Busoga regional hub is the last not because you’re less important, but we decided to save the best for the last,” Kamugisha said.

He further informed the chief guest and the graduates that the Engineering Brigade of the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) has offered to employ all the skilled youth in building and construction, welding and metal fabrication and carpenters.

“I assure you that you will not earn below shillings 500,000. So, the journey has just started. Work hard with discipline and the sky will be the limit. Also, wherever you go in your homes, remember the President for giving you this opportunity. With these opportunities, how can anyone stand against President Museveni?” Kamugisha said.

Kamugisha thanked the patriotic team led by the State House Comptroller with whom they have traversed the whole country passing out skilled graduates and the district committees for spearheading the selection process of beneficiaries.

Close to 10,000 youths skilled

To date, a total of 8,992 youths between 18-35 years have been skilled and graduated from the 19 Presidential skilling hubs across the country:

Soroti-Teso (469)

Napak-Karamoja (423)

Lira-Lango (478)

Madi-Adjumani (450)

Acholi-Gulu (584)

Zombo-West Nile (473)

Kyenjojo-Tooro (489)

Greater Mubende (448)

Bundibugyo-Rwenzori (479)

Kasese-Rwenzori (466)

Kabale-Kigezi (462)

Mbarara-Greater Ankore (507)

Greater Masaka (447)

Kayunga (462)

Kibuku-Bukedi (477)

Kwen-Sebei (456)

Mbale-Bugisu (482)

Masindi-Bunyoro (454) 

Jinja-Busoga (456)

Kagoma North County MP Brandon Kintu, who is also the spokesperson of the NRM caucus, assured the chief guest of the support by fellow MPs towards the skilling hubs.

The chairperson of the hub zonal management committee, who is also Iganga LC5 chairperson Ezra Gabula, appreciated President Museveni for implementing the skilling component under the NRM Manifesto which is key in fighting unemployment among the youths.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga admires some of the welding products made by the youths at Busoga Zonal Hub in Jinja. (PPU Photo)

“I read somewhere that the president is going to establish common user facilities in regional commercial districts with machines to enable our graduates to work in groups and earn some money. If that program can be implemented, we shall be grateful. In Busoga we say, “the one who gives you, you give back,” Gabula said.

He, however, asked the Government to construct more accommodation facilities at the skilling hub and increase the enrollment numbers from the current 16 students per district to cater for the increasing need for vocational skills, especially among the uneducated youth.

Each learner was awarded a Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate of the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), which is equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level and internationally recognised in the world of work and recognised in Uganda’s education system by law.

DIT deputy director of assessment and certification Dr Micheal Okumu, reminded the People of Busoga that Jinja and the region has been a hub of industrialisation in Uganda, a reason the Jinja Vocational Institute was established 42 years ago to skill the workers in the industries.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga (C) and Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda pose for a photo with some of the youths and parents during the graduation ceremony for youths at Busoga Zonal Hub. (PPU Photo)

“In 2012, the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategic plan was launched in Jinja in line with the NRM Manifesto aimed at skilling all Ugandans and also training in production and innovations. Many other Ugandans have been trained here in hotel, tourism and hospitality and today, we are witnessing another milestone of the skilling program,” Okumu said.

He informed the chief guest that the mandate of DIT is developing standards for training and that’s what they have been doing for these hubs, working with the State House to streamline the training curriculum.

Some of the youths from Busoga region express their excitment as they graduated in different skilling programmes at the Jinja based Busoga Zonal Hub. (PPU Photo)

At the same ceremony, students who included Mukisa Sarah from Kamuli and Owino Daniel Okeya from Namayingo who completed the course six months ago gave successful testimonies of how their lives have changed after joining the money economy.

The ceremony was attended by former trade state minister Eng. Nelson Wambuzi Gagawala, officials from Busoga Kingdom, Resident District Commissioners, LC5 chairpersons from the region, district commercial officers and District National Resistance Movement-NRM Chairpersons.