Maravi

PF owes youths jobs - E/Province minister

PF owes youths jobs - E/Province minister
By Christopher Miti in Chipata and Fredrick Mwansa in Itezhi-te
Tue 13 Mar. 2012, 13:59 CAT

EASTERN Province minister Charles Banda says the PF government owes the youth job opportunities. And youths in the province have pledged never to get involved in any kind of corruption. Meanwhile, UPND youths in Itezhi-tezhi yesterday defied their national leadership's order to boycott Youth Day celebrations by taking part in the commemoration.

Speaking during Youth Day commemorations at Chipata's David Kaunda stadium yesterday, Banda who was represented by Chipata district commissioner Masautso Banda said the PF's electoral victory achieved in the 2011 elections was largely owed to the youth.

He said the job opportunities would be provided for by creating employment opportunities both in the formal and informal sectors.

"The challenge of my government is therefore to improve the quality of life of the youth through sustainable economic activities in order to uplift especially the lives of youths in rural areas. It is for this reason that the PF government is introducing programmes to accelerate the social economic empowerment of citizens especially the youth and women," Banda said.

PF and UNIP youths were the only ones from political parties that participated. On behalf of the youths, Dalitso Zulu said the youth in the province support the government's fight against corruption.

Dalitso said the youth would expose all forms of corruption by reporting all suspected corrupt practices to the relevant investigative wings of government.
"We applaud your government for reviving the fight against corruption as the vice is a dangerous cancer capable of destroying our province's and Zambia's economic development and reputation," she said.

Dalitso appealed to the government to consider abolishing the examination fees at grade 12 level.

She commended the government for abolishing health user fees in government institutions but urged it to ensure health institutions were well stocked with medicine, well equipped and well staffed so that the youth and the poor were able to receive quality medical care.

Dalitso said this year's theme "Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable National Development" was appealing to the youth as it called for the development of the strategies for strengthening public private partnership in stimulating domestic resources for implementing youth development programmes.

She said the youth had continued to face numerous social problems and challenges such as inadequate information, limited recreation facilities in the province, unemployment and HIV/AIDS whose prevalence rate was still very high.

"We therefore call upon the government to consider the following: putting in place development and economic policies that stimulate employment creation and provision of quality services in the health and education sectors including recreation, establish a special fund to facilitate youth exchange programmes at local, regional and international levels and involve the youth in decision making on matters that affect them," Dalitso said.

She also urged the government to increase the threshold for youth development fund for developing entrepreneurial skills.

UPND youths in Itezhi-tezhi joined hundreds others from all walks of life in commemorating Youth Day at Itezhi-tezhi court grounds.

The UPND youths who carried a banner with their president Hakainde Hichilema's portrait were seen marching and singing along with their Patriotic Front counterparts.

UPND national youth chairman Likando Mufalali announced that UPND youths would boycott Youth Day celebrations but would instead concentrate their energies doing community work.

However, Itezhi-tezhi MMD youths were conspicuously absent from the march past though some youth leaders were seen at the venue of the cerebrations.

And Itezhi-tezhi district commissioner Roy Nang'alelwa says it is regrettable that some opposition parties are engaging youths to create anarchy instead of engaging them in productive economic activities.

Nang'alelwa said that it was unfortunate that some opposition parties were politicising the Youth Day celebrations by inciting youths to boycott the celebrations.

He urged youths in the district to refuse be used as accessories of tribal politics.

"I urge the youth to refuse to be used as instruments for tribal politics at the expense of weightier development issues the district is grappling with," he said.

He announced that the government had released K70 million to commence construction of skills training centre in the district.

He said the PF government would establish a micro credit financing facility so as to lend to established district vocational training centres and small scale enterprises as well as facilitate access to market through procurement opportunities for goods and services.

And Itezhi-tezhi youth Lupinda Chimwasu urged the government to create employment for the youths by making a deliberate policy that will compel investors in the district to employ 70 per cent local youths.

He further said that due to unemployment, many youths had engaged themselves in illicit activities such as beer drinking and prostitution leading to high HIV contraction rates.

Labels: CHARLES BANDA, EASTERN PROVINCE, JOBS, PF, UNEMPLOYMENT, UNIP, YOUTHS

posted by MrK @ 4:58 PM