The government is considering allocating funds from the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) to the Green Jobs because the latter is more practical, the State Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Sarah Mateke, has said.She made the revelation during a handover of 2,165 business toolkits and equipment under the Green Jobs programme to 3,364 youths and women from 93 groups across the country in Kampala yesterday.
According to the ministry, the Green Jobs and Fair Labour Market Programme focuses on promotion of safety and health at work, improvement in energy and raw materials efficiency, minimisation of waste and industrial pollution and restoration of ecosystems.It was developed following a Cabinet directive to the ministries of Finance, and that of Gender to jointly work on strategies to address job creation.“The money we are demanding from the youth livelihood project should have been put in green jobs. If the money is coming back and we are again going to demand it after giving it out, we should think [about it],” Ms Mateke said.
AdvantageShe said some youth groups misuse the funds but with Green jobs, they receive physical equipment, making it easy to monitor.The minister asked the beneficiaries to effectively utilise the tools and warned them against selling the items.“This is an item for the group not an individual, and if you are not interested in staying in a group, leave so that it continues using the items than saying that I am getting out, let’s sell and go,” Ms Mateke said.
The State Minister for Labour, Mr Okello Engola Macodowgo, backed the idea because Green job programme is practical. “I am happy about what my colleague has said. We can get the other fund [YLP] and add on this [Green Jobs]. This is practical. I think people used to get money and misuse it, but here, you get the equipment and continue using it. Mr Engola said.According to the Ministry of Gender YLP 2021 summary update of programme implementation, it cumulatively received Shs207.2b out of an approved budget of Shs314.6b and has disbursed Shs162.9b to 20,522 youth projects.
Mr Engola said the tools that were handed over will also help in the parish development model.The commissioner for Labour, Industrial Relations and Productivity in the ministry of Gender, Mr Alex Asiimwe, said the Green Jobs currently has a budget of Shs2b but requires more funding to enable it roll out across the country.
