Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated his government’s determination to address high levels of unemployed people in the country, especially the youths.
President Hichilema said to this effect, the government is going to review, re-align and add new empowerment programmes to make them more relevant, viable and sustainable.
“This process has in fact, already commenced. We urge the youth to take advantage of the empowerment programmes such as those under the dramatically enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF), to better their lives,” he said during his national address on national values and principle in parliament today.
The Head of State said access to land, mining and timber licences and other contracts for goods and services will be expanded in order to create more job opportunities for the young people.
He said these will be expanded and revisited so that more people, especially the youth, can benefit from them. Mr. Hichilema noted that young people ought to be helped to develop and should be a priority if the country is to develop.
The Head of State has however noted that people should also embrace self-employment instead of depending on hand-outs. President Hichilema has since called on the youth countrywide to utilize the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) so that they can benefit from the national cake.
He expressed optimism that the CDF will enable some young people to become self-sustaining and will help to contribute towards reducing the number of unemployed people in the country. The President said the government is very much determined to ensure that the levels of unemployment are reduced.
And President Hakainde Hichilema says the government has made progress in the application of national values and principles but more needs to be done as incidents of moral decay have continued to be recorded.
Mr. Hichilema observed that citizens have continued to involve themselves in vices such as alcohol abuse, early marriages, child abuse, gender based violence and corruption among others.
He said the government has since put up a number of programmes to help people desist from involving themselves in such vices. He pointed out that one of the programmes put in place is the alcohol sensitisation programme where people are educated on the dangers of alcoholism.
The Head of State said this today when he addressed the nation on the progress made in the application of national values and principles since the United Party for National Development (UPND) government came into power in August 2021.
Mr Hichilema added that the government has also set up rehabilitation centres across the country in some health facilities to help rehabilitate the affected people.
The President has also noted with concern the continued high numbers of teenage pregnancies and early marriages, a situation he described as unacceptable.
President Hichilema stated that the law will be reinforced and the men that will be found marrying teenagers will be prosecuted. He said parents and guardians of teenagers that have been married off will also face the law.
President Hichilema further said the government, under the Ministry of Education, has continued to use the re-entry policy and introduced the free education programme to help children attain education.
The Head of State warned that the government will therefore not allow people to disturb these programmes. President Hichilema has since called on Zambian citizens to take issues of child abuse seriously and report the perpetrators to relevant authorities. Mr. Hichilema has further urged civil society organisations, the church and other stakeholders to come on board and help fight the scourge.
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