President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon Members of Parliament and other local leaders to support him in the de-emphasizing some expenditures, like creation of new districts.
Speaking while presiding over the International Youth Day celebrations held at Kampiringisa in Mpigi District, Museveni said this could make more money available for the youth to use as capital instead of being used for administrative costs.
Museveni added that whereas the government has done a lot in terms of health, education and infrastructure, issues like the skilling for the youth also need more emphasis.
“We have some youth who are educated but not skilled. The government will help skill the youth in fields like midwifery, carpentry, nursing, secretarial studies, farming, etc. These skills will make you more employable. On the question of capital, I urge MPs and ministers to support me in de- emphasizing some expenditures, like creation of new districts, so that we make more money available for the youth to use as capital.” He said.
He added that this capital will be helpful. For example, when inspecting the exhibition stalls, I saw some children working on turning cassava into starch. Many tablets have a big percentage of starch.
“We have a factory in Luzira which makes drugs but they are importing starch as an ingredient for tablets. With such capital, we could support those young people to make pharmaceutical grade starch for making medicine. It is the same case with maize, where we import $54m worth of it, and do the same for animal feeds worth $24m. We shall support the youth to process our own flour and related products and even export it. Similar value-addition and hence job-creation opportunities exist in the fishing sector in the north and east of the country, the hides and leather industry and even electronics.” Museveni noted.
