‘Not enough focus on youth’

That was a recent editorial statement in a local daily newspaper.

Is that really the case? I beg to disagree. Everything we do, we do it for the youth. What do I mean? Take a look at the 2022/23 national budget. Just look at the budget allocation.

For a start, the youth has its own fullyfledged ministry. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and National Service. This ministry has been allocated N$330.9 million under the present budget. Then, education with N$14.1 billion, higher education (N$3.3 billion), Unam (N$840 million), NUST (N$455 million) and, to cap it all, NSFAF gets a massive N$1.4 billion.

And while on NSFAF, the youth, adults by now, should pay back the loans after they have graduated with their Applied Law and Business degrees, etc and hopefully have landed some cosy jobs, and have started driving some slick cars with tinted windows. Because this should function like a revolving fund, of sorts, that should assist the next generation of students.

Then you have the National Youth Service and the National Youth Council with an impressive head office that would compete with the new Swapo headquarters.

All these institutions, facilities and other kindred entities like the International University of Management, for example, are there to serve the youth of this country.

Finally, the sports stadiums are now also to be renovated after some years of neglect. So, that should be another piece of good news for the youth.

What else do they need? Employment? The President gave you the answer already.