RESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says Africa has lagged in development because the Continent has not invested adequate resources in the youths to empower them with the necessary skills needed to transform the continent.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND government has endeavored to empower the youths with skills though the Youth Skills Development Centers and providing quality education by providing free education and meal allowances to students in universities.
He said this when he officiated at National Youth Indaba at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND administration was implementing deliberate policies such as the reintroduction of meal allowances and introduction of free education to empower the young people.
“This was not possible some 20 months ago, but the UPND administration had to put in deliberate policies to ensure that all the youths are accorded with equal opportunities,” President Hichilema said.
He said there was a need to change the curriculum in schools from one that encourages people from looking for jobs to one that will encourage self-employment.
Mr Hichilema said the new administration had brought law and order which was favourable for investment which entrepreneurs should take advantage of.
He also urged the youths to stay away from alcoholism and the abuse of social media to spread falsehoods.
Mr Hichilema said social media was a platform where youths were supposed to exchange markets, ideas, technology and how to access funding for businesses.
He said the youths need to cultivate a culture of hard work and not depending on handouts that encourages corruption in many sectors.
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