adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
NON-Constituency MP for Midlands, Cde Melody Dziva, has called on the government to ensure that youths participate fully in the ongoing indigenisation and economic empowerment drive.
The youthful Cde Dziva was speaking on the sidelines of the Midlands Provincial Independence Day Celebrations held at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru on Friday.
This year’s Independence Day celebrations were held under the theme “Zimbabwe @34: Defending our sovereignty and providing an enabling environment for sustainable economic empowerment and social transformation.”
Cde Dziva said there is a need to allocate land to youths who did no benefit from the land reform programme as well as including them in other sectors of the economy such as mining and manufacturing.
“As youths we join the nation in celebrating our hard-won independence. However, there is a need for government to ensure that there is more inclusion and participation of youths in the economy.
“The majority of young people did not benefit from the land reform programme and therefore government needs to at least allocate youths land.
“Youths also have a vital role to play in the revival of our economy.
“The government should create an enabling environment to make sure that young people are involved in critical sectors of the economy such as mining, manufacturing and tourism among others,” she said.
The lawmaker said the government should also ensure that youths access loans at reasonable interest rates as well as dealing with issues of collateral since most young people do not have assets.
According to a 2012 census statistical report released by ZimStat, youths constitute 40 percent of the country’s population yet they were not contributing meaningfully to the economy.
The government’s five-year economic blueprint Zim-Asset seeks, among other objectives, to create employment for the youth and women to improve the standard of living for the populace.
Online Reporter