01 Jul 2013

Government will always cater for youth empowerment by providing funding for sustainable projects that will also assist in diversifying the economy.

Officiating at Kingdom Way Ministries’ three-day youth empowerment conference in Letlhakane, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr Jefferson Siamisang said the revised National Youth Policy of 2010 provided a proper legal framework that would help the youth move forward.

Mr Siamisang said his ministry was mandated to attend to youth issues, adding that a safe and secure future would only be possible through youth empowerment. He said it was rare to see young people on a month end gathered under the same roof praising the lord instead of engaging in unruly behaviour.

He said the youth in most cases gathered for the wrong reasons. “It is amazing and unbelievable to see young people on a Friday of a month-end gathered under the same roof entertaining themselves in a way that could be described as pure.”

He said instead of wasting their time indulging in alcohol and criminal acts, the youth of Boteti who attended the church conference should be applauded for being in charge of their lives and working on a strong foundation for their future.

He said as per the 2011 housing and population census statistics, 71 per cent of the country was made of young people below 35 years of age.

Those mandated with decision making powers including the church, traditional leaders, politicians and civil servants must come up with policies and programmes to empower and benefit the majority being the youth, he said.

Mr Siamisang said the youth age group category was faced with serious challenges among them unemployment, HIV/AIDS and were highly engaged in criminal acts. He said most youth were involved in road accidents losing their lives while some ended up with permanent disabilities.

The deputy permanent secretary said it was unfortunate to see the youth who were the backbone of the society faced with such challenges. However, he said it was pleasing to see the church having plans in place aimed at empowering the youth and preparing them for future leadership.

Youth would grow with responsibility through the support and guidance of the elders, he said. ENDS