State stresses youth empowerment
PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has reminded local government authorities countrywide to efficiently implement the central government’s directives aimed at empowering youth, including allocating friendly areas for their economic activities.
The allocation of the suitable places for the young population, he said, will make them conduct their businesses comfortably, thus, avoid operating in prohibited and unfavourable areas.
The Premier made the reminder here yesterday, during the launch of the National Youth Week celebrations, which was held at Gymkhana Grounds in Bukoba Municipality in Kagera Region.
“The allocated areas should match the needs of activities being conducted by the youth,” Mr Majaliwa directed the local councils.
He directed the Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability), Prof Joyce Ndalichako, to collaborate with the Minister of State in President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Ms Angellah Kairuki, to ensure the directive is implemented effectively.
On the other hand, the PM urged the youth to effectively make use of available opportunities in the country for their own development.
Mr Majaliwa pointed to the fact that the effective use of such opportunities will address the challenge of unemployment, which is facing young people in Tanzania and the world at large.
“In Tanzania, we have an abundance of arable land; we have the ocean, inland lakes and rivers, not to mention mineral resources that we are endowed with.
“Our population also provides a huge market for various products, let us make use of having abundant resources to earn an income and improve our livelihoods,” he appealed to the gathering, on behalf of other young people countrywide.
The PM mentioned another opportunity as cordial diplomatic relations, which Tanzania enjoys with other countries in the world, noting; “If this opportunity is well used by the youth, they could benefit a lot and move forward in development.”
Premier Majaliwa reminded Tanzanians to emulate the legacy of the late Father of Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who devoted most of his life to serving poor people.
Speaking on capital, the Premier said there are economic empowerment funds which could be used by young people for their productive endeavors, such as loans issued to youth, women and people with disabilities from internal revenues of local government authorities.
Mr Majaliwa, on the other hand, appealed to the youth to be patriotic and be protectors of infrastructure of development projects being undertaken by the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
“As the government strives to construct and improve development projects, their sustainability depends highly on the patriotism of all Tanzanians,” he maintained.
Speaking earlier, Minister of State in Zanzibar’s Second Vice-President Office (Policy, Coordination and House of Representatives), Mr Hamza Hassan Juma, said commemoration of the National Youth Week gives an opportunity for the youth to meet, share experience, learn various means of productive activities and be patriotic.
For her part, Prof Ndalichako said the marking of the week this year aims at mobilising and encouraging the youth to take part in sustainable development.
“The youth must deeply reflect on their participation in building the nation, particularly at this time that President Samia has opened up many opportunities for this group,” she stated.
Of the estimated 60 million people in Tanzania, more than 50 per cent are under 18 and over 70 per cent are under 30. Adolescents form over 12 million of the overall population of nearly 60 million.
