Martin Endjala
The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) has proposed the establishment of a youth employment and enterprise development fund targeting unemployed graduates.
Uhuru Dempers, the CCN’s head of the social economic justice unit, in this regard, submitted inputs to the mid-term budget review during the national budget discussions last week in Windhoek.
“We propose that the government consolidate current initiatives to provide credit and loan opportunities for the youth through the establishment of a youth employment and enterprise development fund targeting unemployed graduates from vocational training programmes, universities and colleges,” he said.
Dempers said the fund should not only provide credit but also provide advice, guidance, and mentorship for youth willing and able to venture into enterprises as a means of self-employment creation.
He is of the opinion that sectors of agriculture, tourism, and the digital economy could be prioritised in this regard.
“We would also like to request that the minister critically assess the effectiveness, cost-benefit analysis and impact of the current public initiatives dealing with youth empowerment,” he said.
The target is the National Youth Council, National Youth Service and the Directorate of Youth Development in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service.
Dempers believes that these institutions are not effectively executing their mandate and are not making the necessary impact to address what he termed the “timebomb” of youth unemployment.
“We welcome various government efforts responding to the concerning high levels of youth unemployment, including the incentive scheme for youth internships under the leadership of the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprise,” he said.
Dempers proposes that these schemes be accessible to churches and civil society organisations, including youth projects and enterprises that create employment opportunities for youth.
He urged the minister to implement a stringent system that will stop employers from abusing this internship scheme.
Independent bank researcher and economist, Josef Sheehama added that youth unemployment remains a serious issue in Namibia, with the growing population complicating matters.
‘Indeed, it is estimated that youth unemployment is currently around 38 percent, and COVID-19 has exacerbated the problem. As a result, one of the initiatives the government must implement to encourage youth employment creation is the CCN Proposed Fund, which will target the most vulnerable young people, such as those living in rural areas and marginalised communities,” he said.
Sheehama said that the youth fund should advocate for enterprise development as a vital tactic for raising youth participation in nation-building and economic opportunities.
“In light of Namibia’s issues with low youth economic participation, particularly high and persistent youth unemployment, he believes the proposal for a Youth Unemployment Enterprise Development Fund is praiseworthy. The government can help young entrepreneurs by setting up a fund of this kind, which will help them get funding more easily and create jobs,” he said.
The economist said that monitoring and evaluation processes should be in place to analyse the fund’s impact and alter tactics as necessary.
Finance minister, Iipumbi Shiimi will present the reviewed budget to the National Assembly in October.
