Thabiso Nxumalo
The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation has declared war on drug abuse amongst youths dubbing this year’s National Youth Day theme “Alleviating Substance and Drug Abuse” and have drawn their blue-print in incorporating youths into the economic eco-system.
With unemployment being the principal mischief in the rising drug abuse phenomenon, the one of the Ministry’s Masvingo provincial office organisers Jefinias Warara said it is devoted to creating jobs for youths in order to include them in the economic eco-system and striding towards achieving vision 2030.
“Unemployment has been a challenge in Zimbabwe and has seen young people getting into drug and substance abuse but as government we are always seized with trying to create employment for our young people and even encouraging enrolling for tertiary education to get our young people occupied.
“Although we cannot solely blame unemployment, peer pressure, lack of knowledge, child abuse, and family history of addiction are also probable causes to this pandemic and the Covid-19 pandemic has not made the situation better,” said Warara.
He also added that plans to build more vocational colleges are in the pipeline as a way of improving employability and also resource and loan facilities will be availed through Empowerbank.
“The Ministry is seized with trainings for young people to improve youth employability focusing on critical thinking, problem solving, professionalism, strong work ethic and leadership.
“The bulk of Vocational Training Centres are implementing a new curriculum that includes the precepts mentioned above.
“The Ministry launched the Empowerbank to ensure that resources for young people with bankable projects are readily available and has ensured that at all times we have new young people getting into the economic eco-system and periodic reviews will be made to the programmes at the bank to improve youth uptake of the banks products,” Warara said.
Warara urged every government institution and parastatals to include youths in decision making processes in those economic sectors.
“The Ministry has created the Youth Focal Desks in all government departments and parastatals and the Ministry of Youth Sport, Arts and Recreation urges those departments to urgently implement precepts contained in the formulation of those desks including involvement and participation of young people in decision making processes in those economic sectors,” urged the provincial office.
These remarks comes a few days before the commemoration of the National Youth Day on February 21, 2022 to be held in Harare at Robert Mugabe Square where 50,000 people are expected from all the 10 provinces of the country to congregate and celebrate through music and poetry with president Emmerson Mnangagwa expected to address the youths.
Warara said the provincial office will take 3000 youths from Masvingo for the national launch in Harare on Monday February 21, which will be followed by the provincial launch in Masvingo on March 3.
