BY SILAS NKALA
Beitbridge youths have raised concern over escalating unemployment and failure to access loans for entrepreneurial projects due to lack of collateral.
Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate is around 90%, according to non-governmental organisations.
Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZimStat), however, ranked the employment rate at 93,4% as at May 2018.
The agency said at least only 6,6% of the economically active Zimbabwean population of 5,6 million people was unemployed with the majority of those working found in the agriculture sector.
Speaking at a meeting with Beitbridge East legislator Albert Nguluvhe (Zanu PF) on Saturday, the youth, said information dissemination in the constituency was poor.
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Posting on his official constituency Facebook page, Nguluvhe said the engagement with the youth was informative.
“On Saturday, I had the opportunity to meet with youths in Beitbridge (from different organisations) to discuss their issues and aspirations. The interface was very informative and educative. This was my first engagement with youths in Beitbridge town on professional grounds,” Nguluvhe said.
He said such meetings were a platform to exchange ideas and propose solutions to challenges youths face and will eventually push developmental issues in the constituency.
“Some of the major issues of concern raised at the meeting include; unemployment, failure to access loans because of lack of collateral and also poor dissemination of information on matters which concern them,” the MP said.
“We have agreed to start on a new page and find each other as we continually engage in the community, on youth development, and national economic development matters. My door remains open for all those with suggestions and ideas on how we can move forward as a community, district and nation.”
Nguluvhe vowed to assist the youths regardless of political affiliation.
Speaking to Southern Eye yesterday, Nguluvhe said the meeting was his first interface with the youths.
“We have not been on talking terms with them, but this time they are the ones who invited me for a meeting and I told them that the problem was that we did not communicate,” Nguluvhe said.
“They complained over unemployment. I then advised them to come up with a position paper on what they want. They told me that they wanted land but could not clearly state what type of land, for farming or for any other business. I want them to tell me what they want to do and I will see how can I assist them,” he said.
Nguluvhe said he also advised them that those who wanted scholarships should present their papers so that he sees if he could assist them in getting Presidential scholarships.
“I also told them that Beitbridge had no jobs and the only thing that could help them was to venture into entrepreneurial projects. So when we meet next time if they bring their position paper, I will see how best I can help them,” he said.