Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday in Maputo launched the “Emprega”, youth development programme, budgeted at 27.5 million US dollars, intended to create new formal job opportunities, and new companies as well as increasing the productivity of already existing enterprises.
Addressing the launch ceremony, Nyusi said the programme is serious and real and is part of the government’s vision on the necessity and urgency of job creation. Emprega, he stressed, is also an important tool which will ensure the adoption of a diversified and competitive economy.
Emprega, Nyusi said, has two main components. The first is the competitiveness of the business plan which will assist enterprising youth to grow their companies, and to create jobs.
“The goal is to have over 10,000 participants involved in the national programme”, Nyusi said. It will offer high quality training and guidance to improve the success of the companies entitled to receive up to 1.5 million meticais (about 23,000 US dollars, at the current exchange rate).
The selection of the beneficiaries, Nyusi added, will be based on the growth potential of their companies and job creation. The beneficiaries must immediately hire other youngsters to boost their role as job creators.
The second component concentrates on productivity. It will assist young workers who want to boost their productivity and increase their earnings, especially those working in the informal sector. It will offer financial support to enable them to gain access to quality capacity-building and other services.
Emprega, Nyusi highlighted, is based on a fundamental vision of three “Es” (educate, empower and employ). “The time has come for the youth to prove they can do more and much better,” he said.
One of the long term goals, Nyusi indicated, is to reduce, by 2035, the unemployment rate to between 10 and 11 per cent. In 2015, the unemployment rate was estimated at 21 per cent but the government claims it was reduced to 17 per cent in 2020.
Nyusi challenged the programme managers and directors to turn Emprega into an active tool to promote more and better jobs for young Mozambicans. He also urged that the available funds must be managed in a professional, inclusive and transparent manner so that they reach the beneficiaries and accountability is ensured.
“The programme must be a continuous role model in Mozambique and will need further resources and know-how. We urge other stakeholders and contributors to join the initiative, in order to strengthen its output and broaden its reach,” Nyusi added.
Local authorities must also follow the programme attentively and mobilise the youth to be part of Emprega, which has financial support from the World Bank.
