By Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge 02 March 2011
Addressing stakeholders at a meeting held in Beitbridge yesterday, the director in the ministry, Mr. Itai Muguza said they said they would be rolling out development projects in two districts per province so as to ensure the full implementation of their capital projects.
He said they were also working towards setting up a national data base for youth and youth coordinating organisations that shall provide a platform as well as serve as a link between the two (youths and agents)tom participate in youth development policy as well as implementation, monitoring and evaluation of related programs .
He said were the backbone of any successful economy and hence the need to involve them in all comprehensive and coherent national youth policies.
Mr. Muguza said they would roll out the economic emancipation project inline with the African Youth Charter which has since been ratified by the government.
“It is the African Charter’s thrust that a youth shall be integrated and mainstreamed into mall planning and decision –making as well as program development. The appointment of youth focal points in government structures shall enable this process; mechanisms to address these youth challenges shall be framed within the national development framework of the country.
“This therefore means we have to engage community leadership chaired by the local district administrators to help us coordinated the youth developmental projects as you are aware that they (youths) are the back been of any successful economy.
“We need to make our youths aware of the how they can benefit from resources around them in sectors such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing, natural resources management among others.
“With that in mind as government we have made it a priority that we avail funds to help sustain economic emancipation projects in two districts per every province.
“This year we are targeting Beitbridge and Plumtree in Matabeleland South. These districts have been streamlined so as to ensure the total implementation of most projects since we are still facing challenges in mobilizing resources for all the projects across the country. However we are still working towards reviewing our funds allocation in this year’s fiscal budget.” he said.
Mr. Muguza added that the youths needed to participate effectively in youth HIV/Aids and sexual reproductive health issues, “They should play a leading role in implementing HIV/Aids awareness programmes.
“We swill also be holding number of training workshops across the country in collaboration within other keys stakeholders. Furthermore we are having youth entrepreneurship development programs that will encourage them to start their own business rather than relying on the formal job sector which is currently not doing well” he said.
The director added that the youth development fund will this year be committed on assisting those youth who would have acquired life survival skills from several 42 vocational training centres across the country.
He added that there was a need for an integrated approach in developmental projects saying that onus was within everyone’s hands not his ministry alone.
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