16 Aug 2018

Corruption has become complex and as young people in Africa are techno-savvy, governments can leverage on their skills to fight it.

  Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said this at the East and Southern Africa Regional Youth Consultation workshop on August 15 in Gaborone. He said corruption was a scourge that eroded the core of the societal fabric, weakening institutions and depriving young citizens the opportunities to develop meaningful livelihoods.

  He said corruption bred unequal societies and rendered vulnerable groups to be prone to social disorders such as human trafficking, irregular migration and other forms of violent extremism.

  Mr Makgalemele said corruption held back every aspect of economic and civil life, an anchor that weighed youth down and prevented the country from achieving goals.

  He said there was need to capacitate young people to occupy economic spaces to be gainfully engaged, refocusing their energies to developing their countries.

  “Corruption ultimately punishes consumers, both the young and the old and relegate them to margins of abject poverty. It as well gives unfair advantage as those who corruptly acquired resources get improved health care, better education opportunities leading to decent jobs and better shelter,” he said.

  He noted that women and children were negatively affected in Africa as corruption limited them access to finance and services to realise sustainable empowerment.

  He urged the youth to pay special attention the root causes of corruption, especially in Africa, thus a path of a strong, inclusive, accountable and transparent democracy.

  Mr Makgalemele urged youth community to emulate and draw inspiration from their principled stand in the fight against corruption.

  For his part, Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime director general Mr Victor Paledi said governance was the domain of corruption.

  He noted that corruption was the greatest obstacle to economic and social development, especially in Africa.

  “Corruption does not only steal money from where it is needed the most leading to weak governance system, it fuels wars and it breeds organised crimes,” he said.

Mr Paledi urged the youth to resist, reject and report corruption. ENDS