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Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone says the PF government is determined to create employment for the youth which the MMD failed during its rule.
Mr Sichone said unlike the MMD, the PF government will address the challenges of unemployment among youths who he said had continued to suffer without jobs.
Speaking during a meeting with a youth group in Chipata this morning, Mr SIchone said it was for this reason that government had allocated K40 billion for youth empowerment in this year’s budget.
Mr Sichone said the PF government would not allow people who did not meet application requirements to benefit from the Youth Empowerment Fund.
He charged that the MMD was careless in the disbursement of the youth fund and loans, saying it allowed illegality.
“That is why a good number of the members of the former ruling party are under investigations,” he justified.
The Provincial Minister stated that the PF government would ensure that people abided by the law when implementing all programmes to avoid legal action which was currently being faced by the MMD.
And Mr Sichone deferred an application for a hammer mill under the Youth Empowerment Fund due to non-compliance with application procedure.
Mr Sichone who was today scheduled to handover the hammer mill to Makangila Madoda youth group, said he could not handover the equipment because the youth group was registered as a company and not a youth club as recommended by the department of youth.
He noted that the government wanted to empower more youths, saying a youth club which would be recommended to benefit from the fund was supposed to have a minimum of 40 members unlike Makangila which was reported to only consist of six members.
Mr Sichone also observed that the all members of the youth group were male, which he said was an indication that there was a gender imbalance.
The Provincial Minister disclosed that he had information that youth groups had threatened to close the office of the Youth Development Co-ordinator if their application was not approved saying the PF government would not allow youths to behave in such a manner.
“I will not allow youths to harass civil servants but I will appreciate it if they can report civil servants who are not performing to my office because it is government which should take action against those frustrating developmental efforts and not youths,” he said.
