Leaders from Lango and Acholi sub regions have commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for skilling the youth through the Zonal Industrial Hub Initiative.
The leaders lauded the President on Tuesday 3rd January, 2023 during the passing out of 212 and 218 students who graduated at the Acholi and Lango Zonal Industrial Hubs respectively after completing a free- five months skills development training in different vocational disciplines.
Hon. Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South County Member of Parliament commended H.E the President for initiating a successful programme.
Hon. Olanya said the programme has equipped the youth with skills which they are to use and improve their lives economically.
“If government started this program earlier on, I think by now we would have been far. This is the best program so far. Skilling the youth is the way to go. Madam Guest of Honor, the current curriculum we have in secondary school, I would like to say is one of the best; I participated in designing and developing it. I’m a student of Kyambogo University soon completing my PhD in Educational Planning and Management so I participated in designing this particular important program,” Hon. Olanya said.
“As a country, we need to go for Education that introduces our youth to jobs directly than wasting alot of time fron Primary to University and you come back home without a job. Therefore what we have now, is going to change Uganda tremendously,” he added.
Other Members of Parliament including; Hon Judith Alyek MP for Kole doubling as the chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group, Hon James Olobo Dubai MP Kioga North and Hon.Okot Boniface the Youth MP Northern Region congratulated the graduates and advised them to apply the attained skills to improve their livelihoods.
They further thanked President Museveni for this great and resourceful initiative aimed at transformation Uganda socially and economically.
They also appreciated Ms. Jane Barekye the State House Comptroller, the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) staff, local government, and other contributors to this noble cause of adding value to the youths.
The legislators went ahead and requested the President to provide start up working capital to the graduates and also increase on the number of intakes.
His Highness Won Nyaci Lango Apap Yosam Odur Ebii, the Lango Paramount Chief expressed gratitude to Ms Barekye and Gen Museveni for being a visionary leader who has not only created a secure country but also initiated a good programme of equipping the youth with employable and valuable skills.
He said this is a great milestone that will develop the youth, their families and country at large.
As a sign of appreciation the state house comptroller first apologised for having delayed to reach at the function. She went a head and thanked his holiness for being patient till her arrival. And there after danced for him as a sign of appreciation.
On her part, Ms. Barekye thanked His Highness Won Nyaci Lango Apap Yosam Odur Ebii and other leaders in Lango and Acholi for supporting the Presidential Initiative.
“I would like to thank you Your Highness and political leaders from government and the opposition like Hon. Olanya for desisting from politicking and supporting government programmes like this one,” Ms. Barekye stated.
She also tasked the youth to make the Zonal Industrial Hub Initiative a success story so as to push Uganda’s socio-economic transformation agenda.
The State House Comptroller said President Yoweri Museveni initatied the Industrial hubs project across the country in order to enhance youth skilling and training. She therefore requested the beneficiaries not to disappoint the President by making the initiative a success story.
“Use the skills you have acquired here to work and improve your livelihoods and that of your families,” Ms. Barekye advised.
“Please do not disappoint the President. Ensure that this becomes a success story; so go out and embrace the President’s vision of transforming Uganda socially and economically,”she added.
Concerning a request by Acholi and Lango leaders to increase the number of intake in the industrial hub, the comptroller asked them to be patient because State House has got other industrial hubs across the country they facilitate yet the funds are still limited.
“There’s a possibility to implement your request once Parliament increases State House’s budget,” Ms. Barekye assured.
The Comptroller further said that the President will provide beneficiaries with a common user facility equipped with machines which will be used by everyone for free to manufacture goods which they will take to the market to sell and earn a living.
Mr. Echugor Charles, the Gulu Resident District Commissioner also commended President Museveni for imparting knowledge to the youth through trainings at Zonal Industrial Hubs.
He also urged all leaders including his fellow RDCs and deputies to ensure that they work closely and ensure that the Presidential initiative is a success.
On the other hand, Mr. Odong Jimmy, the Manager of the Acholi Presidential Industrial Hub, said that the trainees underwent a free- five months training starting from 4th August 2022 to 23rd December 2022 and were awarded Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) Level I Certificates.
Mr. Odong said that the hub admitted 220 students from 10 administrative units namely; Amuru district, Nwoya district, Omoro district, Gulu district, Gulu city, Pader district, Lamwo district, Agago district, Kitgum district, Kitgum municipality and each was given a slot of 22.
He said out of the 212 participants (99 males and 113 females), 60 did tailoring comprising of four male and 56 females , 35 males did carpentry , 58 did welding (two females and 56 males) and 59 did hairdressing( 55 females and four males).
Mr. Odongo further told Ms. Barekye that due to the acquired skills, the beneficiaries are now ready to ready to propel socio-economic transformation of Acholi Sub Region and Uganda at large.
He also commend President Museveni for this great initiative and requested him to increase the number of beneficiaries per intake to be increased from 220 to 500.
Mr. Celestino Oceng, the Manager of the Lango Zonal Industrial Hub said they admitted 220 students, but only 218 managed to finish the training , after two ladies dropped out due to one being ill and another one joining the Uganda Police Force.
He also informed the State House Comptroller that the beneficiaries are now well equipped with all the necessary skills and that they are ready to transform Lango sub region and Uganda at large, both socially and economically.
“I would like to thank H.E the President for his great wisdom of skilling the youth which is the best way of bringing them into the money economy,” Mr. Oceng asserted.
In 2020, the President implored Government to allocate sh130bn for the construction of 21 zonal industrial hubs across the country to enhance youth skilling and training.
The zonal industrial hubs seek to scale down unemployment rates, especially among the youth and stimulate industrial production in the country.
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