The State Minister for Youth and Children affairs Ms Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi has promised to take a ‘’friendly’’ approach in ensuring the recovery of Youth Livelihood Project [YLP] funds from defaulters.
According to Ms Kiyingi, much as those who have defaulted paying back the loan have impeded the government project, there is no need to harass and arrest them.
“As the youth minister, I want to ensure that the tracking of youth who have defaulted paying the loans is taken in a friendly manner. With this approach, they will also be put to task to pay and encourage others to acquire the loans,” Ms Kiyingi said.
Ms Kiyingi made the remarks on Tuesday during a YLP sensitization meeting for district and Municipality level stake holders in Acholi and West Nile regions held at Palema Crown Hotel in Gulu Municipality.
The meeting was organized by Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development.
Kiyingi said the YLP has so far benefited over 100,000 youth under the operation wealth creation in the last two years.
“It’s pretty much known that the YLP money is to be returned but there were so many issues that were circulated during campaigns that the money was free. We are however now taking approaches to inform and educate the youth that the money is to be returned because it’s a loan,” she said.
The minister however stressed that she will also be tough in ensuring that the district leaders especially the Chief Administrative officers, Resident district Commissioners [RDC] and district chairpersons follow closely the government programme.
She visited one of the youth groups ‘‘Ribe Ber Concrete Laying Youth group’’ before concluding her visit by commissioning an office for youth in Gulu district.
Gulu Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Capt. Santos Okot Lapolo raised a concern during the meeting saying his office receives little funds to monitor the youth groups arguing it’s the reason they have failed to recover money from many youth groups in the district.
In Gulu district, over 190 million out of the Shs 389 million advanced to 51 youth groups under the YLP loans in the financial year 2014/15 have not yet been recovered by the district..
Mr Moses Ntirenganya, the YLP officer while making a presentation during the meeting noted that 27 benefiting districts had finished two years implementation but majority have not yet reached 20 percent of the recovery funds.
He noted that the worst performing districts in the first phase include Mukono, Wakiso, Busia, Abim, Kamuli, Mayuge Koboko and Mayuge.
While in the second phase, the districts that have failed in the recovery includes, Lamwo, Butambala, Adjumani, Kumi, Bundibugyo, Mbarara, Hoima, Pader, Kitgum, Amuru, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Buvuma, Mpigi, Nakaseke, Iganga, Luka, Namutumba, Kaliro and Jinja.
In 2013, government earmarked Shs 265 billion for YLP to empower the poor and unemployed youth country wide replacing the Capital Youth Venture Fund.
