By Mercy Makuwira

Neno, July 19, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has said that his government is committed to improve welfare of youths in the country through National Youth Service (NYS).

Chakwera said this on Tuesday in Neno during the launch of National Youth Service at Chikonde Primary School where he said Covid 19 and climate change impacted a lot of people hence there was need for an intervention to address the challenges being experienced in the country with immediacy.

“National Youth Service is not a new concept to the country as it was introduced by former President Joyce Banda. My government decided to bring it back looking at the benefits that were derived from the previous program.

“The youths should not be only used as campaign tools, rather they have to be trained into a skilled workforce that will benefit them and the country,” said Chakwera.

He added government through the national budget set aside K3 billion for the program that will see 20,000 youths entering the service this year.

Chakwera said through NYS government will develop skills of the youths according to their capabilities, identify markets for the products that they will be producing, develop a poll of skilled youthful workforce and develop within the youths sense of national duty.

 He however said after their training that will vary between three to six months they will be expected to perform one year of national youth service.

The President then committed that the youths will be considered as priority in National Economic Empowerment Fund loans so that they start up their businesses.

Speaking earlier Minister of Youth and Sports, Richard Chimwendo Banda expressed gratitude to the President for launching NYS two years after it was promised during the campaign period.

“This will assist youths who had nothing become independent and assist their households and develop the country.

“It is not possible to have each and every youth employed, as such this will come in and fill in that gap,” he said.

He then said after launching the program in Neno the service will scale up to all the districts in the country.

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