With just two months left to end the 2015/2016 financial year, Gulu is yet to submit its approved budget for projects generated by youth so as to secure Shs 348 million from government for the youth livelihood fund in the district.
John Engabi, the Coordinator Youth Livelihood Proramme Northern Region, told Acholi Times in an interview on Wednesday that Gulu district officials have failed to submit any project generated by youth group to enable government release money for the youth.
“We haven’t got any approved budget from the district; time is running out for this fund to be released to the district. We have waited and still hoping they will submit their projects,” said Mr Engabi.
According to Mr Engabi, Gulu District risks losing out on getting the money if they don’t submit approved projects generated by youth before May 15 this year.
Engabi said the 2015/2016 budget is meant to facilitate over 40 projects in the district aimed at ending youth unemployment through soft loans from government.
“Under this scheme, successful youth projects can get between Shs 1 million to Shs 25 million loans depending on the project they applied for. They are expected to repay the loan within a period of 12 months or maximum of three years,” Mr Engabi said.
Poor loan recovery
Mr Engabi pointed out that the recovery of loans given to the various youth group in the district in the financial year 2014/2015 has been poor adding that only Shs 5.2 million (one percent) has been recovered from just two groups out of 51 groups who received Shs 389 million Gulu in the financial year 2014/2015.
Gulu Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Capt Santos Okot Lapolo while addressing stakeholders during a meeting at Churchill Courts Hotel in Gulu town on Tuesday said people who fail to accountant for livelihood fund projects in Gulu will be held accountable.
The RDC revealed that a total of Shs 100 million was still lying idle at the District meant for youth groups and wondered why the district has failed to utilize the money.
Mr Engabi however refuted the claims that Gulu still has Shs 100 million lying idle in their accounts stating that the district fully used its budget for the financial year 2014/2015.
Isaac Newton Ojok, the Vice Chairperson Gulu District also the Secretary community services when contacted however said he has never seen any project sub-mission from any youth group at the sub-county level for the financial year 2015/2016.
“I have never been updated on the projects raised by youth in the district. We would have approved it if they were submitted. We cannot run around looking or monitoring what we have not been updated about,” said Mr Ojok.
On Tuesday, district leaders from Lango and Acholi Sub-region made recommendations during a one-day multi-stakeholder dialogue on the state of public service delivery in Northern Uganda organized by Action aid Uganda that punitive measures be put in place for leaders who frustrate youth livelihood project.
In 2013 the government announced the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) to supplement the defunct Youth Venture Capital Fund. The programme is a result of combined effort by stakeholders to address rampant youth unemployment in the country.
