Charles Kumakec, the Chairperson of Oyarontonge Superstars Computer Application Youth Group in Agago Town Council, attributed the poor repayment of the YLP funds to limited training of the beneficiaries on enterprise selection and financial management skills.
More than
100 youth groups in Agago District have failed to repay more than 700 Million
Shillings under the Youth Livelihood Project-YLP.
The YLP was introduced by the government in 2013 to uplift the economic
status of poor and unemployed youth by giving them start-up capital for a
venture of their choice.
In Agago district at least 137,000 youth organized in 141different groups
were given 1.06 Billion Shillings in the financial year 2014/2015.
Benson Lugwar, the District Youth Councilor for Agago District, says that their
records show that only 30 percent has been recovered.
//Cue in:
“Youth Livelihood ma government…”
Cue out: …me
recovering.”//
According to
Lugwar, they have been facing the challenge of recovering the money because of
a lack of funds to monitor the projects.
//Cue in: “Gamente omyero oneni…”
Cue out: …me gamo cente.”//
Charles
Kumakec, the Chairperson of Oyarontonge Superstars Computer Application Youth
Group in Agago Town Council, attributed the poor repayment of the YLP funds to
limited training of the beneficiaries on enterprise selection and financial
management skills.
Kumakec says
the lack of skills in chosen enterprises forced group members to leave because
they could not manage their businesses to bring in profits. He says their group
which had 15 members now has only six members.
The treasurer of the group, Baptist Ojok, says the group received 11.1 Million
Shillings and has refunded 3.5 Million Shillings.
Ojok appeals
to the government to write off the balance as bad debt because the remaining
members are unable to clear the loan.
Agago
District Youth Chairperson Wilson Otto, says some beneficiaries are already
dead, while others have relocated to other places in search of better
opportunities and cannot be traced.
Otto says only 273 Million Shillings have been recovered from 41 groups,
leaving a shortfall of Shillings 787 million.
“The poor
performance of the YLP was associated with misinterpretation of the program by
the youth and the timing of its implementation. Because it came during a political
time so many of the youths associated this YLP program to a political
incentive,” Otto says.
However, Lugwar says the YLP funds are revolving, and the beneficiaries,
most of who he says are no longer among the youth should refund the money
so that other youth also benefit.
