Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana continues to come up with strategies and interventions addressing youth unemployment nationally, Selebi-Phikwe included, says the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Major General Pius Mokgware.
Responding to questions from Member of Parliament for Selibe Phikwe West, Mr Reuben Kaizer in Parliament on Monday, he said one major strategy was to facilitate youth entrepreneurship development in order to stimulate production, secure self-sufficiency and create jobs.
He said it would be done by financing start-ups through Youth Development Fund that capitalised youth entrepreneurs to start businesses and create employment in the process.
Maj Gen Mokgware said in the past two financial years, funding preference had been given to sectors with more potential to employ higher numbers of people, especially the youth.
He said such sectors were manufacturing, agriculture and its value chain and innovation. He also said preferential schemes or affirmative action was extended to youth and their enterprises in order to assist their job creation potential.
He further said procurement, acquisition of land and tender documents had been extended to youth in order to facilitate their economic activities for job creation.
The Minister said a long-term strategy remained hinged upon their efforts as a country to achieve economic diversification and industrialisation.
“If that gets achieved, the economy will be able to create more job opportunities, thus curbing unemployment,” he said. He said the country adopted first National Employment Policy, which would guide efforts of the country to create decent jobs for Batswana across the various sectors.
He said as per the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Selebi/Phikwe had 42 488 residents with an estimation of 11 967 youth between the ages of 18 and 35 making 28 percent of the district population.
He also said Statistics Botswana Quarterly Multi-Topic Survey Quarter 1 of 2024 showed that the overall labour force for people aged 18 years and above was 1 031 940 while the youth labour force for people aged 18 to 35 years was 500 082.
He further said Statistics Botswana report further indicates that youth labour force for Selebi/Phikwe stood at 6 740 out of which 55 per cent were male. As of now, he said government had not considered the introduction of unemployment allowance for youth. He said the introduction of available interventions were meant to unlock employment opportunities.
MP Kaizer had asked the minister to update Parliament on Selebi/Phikwe demographic profile and state the youth labour force in the town.
He also asked the minister to state the number of unemployed youth and state interventions in place to curb the skyrocketing unemployed youth in the town. He asked as to whether the government was considering unemployment allowances for the unemployed youth.
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