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Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
THE Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment has empowered 50 000 youths through vocational training and skills development programmes countrywide last year.

Presenting a report to Parliament on Tuesday on behalf of the Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Marondera East MP Jeremiah Chiwetu (Zanu-PF) said the Ministry had made significant progress in 2016, despite the economic challenges.

He said support of the youth whether financial or non-financial should be guaranteed in the national budget.

“Some of the Ministry’s achievements in 2016 include empowering 50 000 youths through vocational training and skills development and developing a Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment.

“The Ministry has also expanded infrastructure in Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) through cooperation with indigenous companies. A total of 152 indigenisation transactions and 36 Employee Ownership Trusts were approved in the year 2016,” said Cde Chiwetu.

He said the Ministry also managed to review the National Youth Service to include skills training and entrepreneurship.

The MP said the Youth Ministry was, however, facing funding challenges and called for the timeous release of 2017 budget allocations.

“The committee notes with concern that in the past financial years, Treasury has failed to disburse the whole amounts allocated in the budgets. The large variances between the Ministry’s bids and budget allocations for our programmes are a threat to the Ministry’s planned activities for 2017.

“In 2016, VTCs did not receive anything from the allocated amount of $214 000 for goods and services. If this trend continues into 2017, this will affect the Ministry’s activities,” said Cde Chiwetu.

He said in the 2017 budget, the Ministry was allocated $1,2 million against a bid of $2,3 million.

“The allocation falls short of the Ministry’s requirements towards communication and domestic travel costs and may therefore affect service delivery, monitoring and evaluation activities by the Ministry.

“Most projects funded by the Ministry require constant monitoring and evaluation,” said Cde Chiwetu.

The MP emphasised that the country’s development lies in the participation of the youth in the economy.

“Skills Development is one of the priorities in the country’s National Youth Policy. Unless measures are taken to meaningfully empower youths to take a central role in the socio-economic development of the country, they may be a source of social, economic and political instability.

“Our Government should view young people as an asset for national development and national cohesion as opposed to an expense or a liability,” said Cde Chiwetu.

— @pamelashumba1