The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of youths has petitioned Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga demanding immediate action to reduce unemployment. The petition was presented through the umbrella; Uganda Youth Federation for Good Governance, today.
Eric Bithum Opondo, the Organisation’s General Secretary said that parliament needed to recognize that youth unemployment is a serious matter that has been politicized and by politicians instead of coming up with policies to avert it.
He said that parliament and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni should work on reducing the number of cabinet ministers and MPs since a lot of money is spent on paying salaries yet it can be diverted to creation of more employment opportunities for youth.
A December 2018 report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicated that 1.2 million youth in Uganda between the age of 15 and 29 are neither in employment nor education. The report warned that the unemployed youth pose a risk to the journey towards harnessing the democratic dividend and attaining sustainable development and appealed to government to ensure productive utilization of the youth.
Opondo told Kadaga that youth unemployment is a result of bad governance, a representation of unpatriotic charismatic leadership, poor planning, unfavorable policies and lack of transparency in the country’s systems. He also appealed for the revamping of Co-operative Unions to partly help provide jobs.
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga dismissed the argument that MPs especially youth representatives have neglected their duties saying that issues concerning youth are consistently raised on the floor of parliament and that the matters are taken seriously.
She revealed that youth representatives in Parliament are pushing for the amendment of the Uganda Development Bank Act to allow youths access funds without having to go through hurdles.
Kadaga added that key on the Parliament’s business next week is a discussion on youth unemployment in the Country after the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi presents a statement on measures being put in place by governance to curb unemployment.
*****
URN
