STAKEHOLDERS IN WESTNILE WORRY OVER RAISING NUMBER OF IDLE YOUTHS IN THE REGION

The youths listening to the panellists at the generation to generation dialogue. Photo by Anslem Ojaru.

By Anslem Ojaru  

Arua

Stakeholders in westnile region expressed concern over raising number of idle youth in the region that is underscoring the country’s development.

According to the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report, the West Nile region, has a population of 2.7 million people with 43 % of young people between the ages of 18 to 30 being unproductive.

Maneno Zumura the woman Member of Parliament of Obongi poses a huge challenge to the region. “Where are the 43% of the young people that are not adding any value to the country that are not being productive, that are not in the school, where are they? Are these the youths sitting by the roadside, are they the youths making us fear pass our roads? Where are we going in this country and Westnile?”

Geoffrey Okwisa the RDC of Arua, says there are a number of challenges facing the youth that need to be addressed. “The issue of unemployment and poverty given the increasing population the issue of resources has become extra scarce, school dropouts, early pregnancies and marriages these are the biggest challenge we are confronted with, if we do not sustainably address them, then, we are destined to doom,” Okiswa said.

Jotham Musinguzi, the senior presidential advisor on population issues urges the leaders to include growing population in the country’s plan. “You as leaders, I must remind you, we a have responsibility to make  sure that the young people, the next generation are  well educated, they are skilled we have built infrastructure so our leaders must be ready to ensure that this huge population is well  educated, but  you need to plan for this huge population.”
 
This was during a generation to generation dialogue held in Arua district as a precursor activity for the world population day commemoration.