Help us get youth out of poverty, State House official urges journalists
KAMPALA– State House comptroller, Jane Barekye has asked journalists in Uganda to create awareness of the zonal presidential industrial hubs aimed at skilling the youth in the country to fight poverty through job creation.
Barekye was days ago speaking to journalists at a symposium organised at Kyambogo University to sensitise journalists about patriotism but also help them to understand government’s development programmes and how they can support them through information dissemination.
Barekye noted that less information has been disseminated about the industrial hubs in the country yet they are skilling the less privileged youth in the sub-regions of Uganda.
“State House skills the rural Ugandans, but many people don’t know about this skilling programme. We have these hubs in Mbale, Masindi, Lira, Gulu, Adjumani, and Kyenjojo, among others, but less is known about these hubs,” Barekye said.
Asked why access there is tight security at the industrial hubs, Barekye said security at the industrial hubs should not intimidate people who need information from the officials managing the facilities.
She said: “We are going to talk to our local security teams to ensure that they work with the media to disseminate information. Seek for appointments, they will give you information.”
Barekye said the industrial hubs target the rural youth with different skills aimed at helping them to improve their incomes.
“We don’t have the hubs in the urban areas like Kampala and Wakiso because the programme targets the rural poor. Urban areas have several skilling centres,” she added.
When asked about the criteria for selecting the beneficiaries, Barekye noted that local government officials at district levels are fully involved in the process.
She said: “In identifying the beneficiaries, RDCs, district chairpersons, NRM chairpersons and DISOs are involved. With this, favouritism and tribalism are greatly reduced.”
However, journalists asked Barekye to set aside money for information dissemination if the industrial hubs are to achieve their objectives. They also called upon the government to give the beneficiaries start-up capital after the five-month training.
Barekye said government would consider supporting the youth through the existing mainstream poverty alleviation programmes like the Parish development model [PDM)] and Emyooga.
She added: “We can still table the request of start-up capital for parliament’s consideration so that resources can be allocated for this purpose.”
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