Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana and Ghana are head and shoulders above other Africa countries with regards to youth development.
Addressing the youth Wednesday in Letlhakane, Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Mr Tumiso Rakgare said government had programmes tailor made to develop the youth and they (youth) had what it took to turn their lives around, revealing that this year, Forbes Under 30 would be coming to Botswana for the third time.
Mr Rakgare stated that an internship in the private sector had been discontinued because they were no longer recruiting, but used it as cheap labour from government.
He explained that it was re-introduced in the private sector on condition that after the two-year internship period, companies would be compelled to absorb the youth interns.
The minister also explained that recruitment of voter registration clerks was reviewed because some youths that were engaged in the previous exercise did not perform well.
“We need to do better and we can do better. That is not a true reflection of what we are as the youth of Botswana,” said Mr Rakgare.
He pleaded with the youth to introspect as they began a new year. “If you are so obsessed with social media there is a lot that you can learn from it,” he said and added that there were young Batswana abroad making millions by selling content on social media.
“The clock is ticking, you cannot spend 20 years on social media without doing anything that brings value to your life,” he said.
Minister Rakgare said innovation and creativity should start somewhere and youth were the change agents the country needed.
Mr Rakgare said there were many cases of drunk driving during festive season, mostly involving the youth.
A youth, Mr Bona Machinya proposed that 60 per cent of projects be allocated the youth during tendering while Mr Thembani Mpapho expressed a concern that Boteti artists were marginalised and not accorded adequate support by local mines.
Another youth, Ms Lamodimo Ditamara stated that the majority of youths in Mosu, Makgaba, Mmeya and Mokubilo indulged in illegal brews due to lack of employment opportunities, hence called for the development of a heritage site in the area to create employment opportunities.
She said the Youth Development Fund requirements were not inclusive of remote area dwellers.
Others pleaded with government to procure products from youth-owned companies.
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