Empower the youth to be self-reliant
Apr 15, 2010
The majority of Uganda’s population is made up of the youth.
The majority of Uganda’s population is made up of the youth. Youth unemployment is quickly changing from an economic issue to a security one; a loophole exploited by some politicians for their selfish interests. When most of the youth are idle, they are easily manipulated to engage in riots.
The rate at which universities and other institutions are churning out graduates is higher than the rate at which the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and the labour ministry are creating new job opportunities.
The Minister of State for Investment Aston Kajara recently announced that the Government through UIA had created over 70,000 jobs and for this the authorities should be lauded.
It is vital to appreciate that the Government cannot find jobs for all graduates. However, the Government in partnership with the private sector, should intensify youth empowerment programmes to enable and equip the youth to become self-reliant and job-creators rather than job-seekers.
The youth need training as much as they need the capital and resources to help them start on their own. The major challenge for the Ugandan youth is not only knowledge, but the capital to venture into sectors like agriculture, farming, bee-keeping, and other small and medium enterprises on their own on the path to self-sustainability.
The youth should not be left to helplessly negotiate with credit providers since they do not fulfill the stringent minimum requirements. The Government, through the central bank, should in cooperation with private financial institutions encourage the establishment of youth friendly credit packages.
The Government’s move to revamp vocational institutions is a step in the right direction and it is a timely assurance to the youth that they have not been forgotten.
To live both a quantitative and qualitative life, the youth need empowerment in all aspects of life; economically, socially and morally.
It is a pre-requisite for the Government and its stakeholders to consider the youth in all their short or long-term planning as a way of solving challenges today and in the future.
The writer is an aspiring youth MP for western region
The rate at which universities and other institutions are churning out graduates is higher than the rate at which the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and the labour ministry are creating new job opportunities.
The Minister of State for Investment Aston Kajara recently announced that the Government through UIA had created over 70,000 jobs and for this the authorities should be lauded.
It is vital to appreciate that the Government cannot find jobs for all graduates. However, the Government in partnership with the private sector, should intensify youth empowerment programmes to enable and equip the youth to become self-reliant and job-creators rather than job-seekers.
The youth need training as much as they need the capital and resources to help them start on their own. The major challenge for the Ugandan youth is not only knowledge, but the capital to venture into sectors like agriculture, farming, bee-keeping, and other small and medium enterprises on their own on the path to self-sustainability.
The youth should not be left to helplessly negotiate with credit providers since they do not fulfill the stringent minimum requirements. The Government, through the central bank, should in cooperation with private financial institutions encourage the establishment of youth friendly credit packages.
The Government’s move to revamp vocational institutions is a step in the right direction and it is a timely assurance to the youth that they have not been forgotten.
To live both a quantitative and qualitative life, the youth need empowerment in all aspects of life; economically, socially and morally.
It is a pre-requisite for the Government and its stakeholders to consider the youth in all their short or long-term planning as a way of solving challenges today and in the future.
The writer is an aspiring youth MP for western region