The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has called on government to speed up the process of disbursing the Youth Empowerment Fund introduced in 2006.
AVAP Executive Director, Bonnie Tembo says his organisation is concerned with the lack of political will on the part of the government to have the funds disbursed despite political pronouncements during the youth day celebrations.
Mr Tembo has however Commended President Levy Mwanawasa for calling on the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to ensure that the funds meant for the youths are disbursed according the law.
He claimed that although the youths are majority voters, they are both politically and economically marginalised.
Mr Tembo has pledged to partner with other Youth Organizations in lobbing government over the disbursement of the youth Empowerment Fund saying youth are the majority voters.
The AVAP leader however, advised all the youth organisations in the country to unite and strategise on how best they can play a critical role in ensuring that the youth in the country benefit from the youth Empowerment Fund.
Mr. Tembo said there is need to liberate the youth from the yoke of unemployment and poverty.
He has also called upon Members of Parliament in all the 150 Constituencies to spearhead the disbursement of the Youth Empowerment Fund to the youth by engaging the CEEC.
He noted that the elected representatives who enacted Citizen Economic Empowerment Act should take a lead to ensure the implementation of the CEEC.
Mr. Tembo has further appealed to government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development to publish and disseminate youth empowerment Fund guidelines to enable youths have the information on how to access, utilise and account for the Fund.
How will the funds be disbursed? project proposal or one simply has to be below 40 with a zambian NRC? I am telling you… chikalila mukomboni? besides we are zambians and entitled to our copper? it is high time bashi komboni benefited from the loot. Chinika breweries….here we come.
Iwe Bonnie Tembo, you seem to have a hidden agenda. You have been very vocal lately. What do you want?
mwiratuagasha,you fund is just a joke.tell me if there is any person who have accessed it or you going to tell me that their proposals were incomplete.Let Govt be serious with this if there to empower the youths in this country.
This money must be given early enough as some of us are aiming at utilizing the rainy season for farming. Please consider.