Museveni backs Kadaga on Shs280 billion Green Jobs funding
President Museveni (R) and Speaker Kadaga inspect some of the equipment that were given to youth and women groups to generate income. PHOTO/PPU
What you need to know:
Mr Museveni said that Ms Kadaga is right to call for more money to be injected into programmes that eradicate poverty instead of finding money to enhance salaries of public servants
KAMULI- President Museveni has expressed his support to increase the funding of critical programmes meant to uplift vulnerable women and youth from poverty.
The programmes, under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), include the Green Jobs Programme, the National Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteer Scheme, Uganda Green Incubation Project (UGIP) - Songhai Model, Jobs for Urban Youth (JOY), Access for Labour Justice and improving labour productivity.
Mr Museveni was responding to the plea by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for more funding to the development programmes which could cost about Shs200 billion.
This was at an event where state-of-the-art business start-up tool kits were handed over to 3,228 youth and women who are organised in 190 groups in Busoga sub-region.
Mr Museveni said that Ms Kadaga is right to call for more money to be injected into programmes that eradicate poverty instead of finding money to enhance salaries of public servants.
“Ï thank Ugandans for remembering the things that make money and getting out of sleep. Everyone now has an urge to be involved in making money, which is good. I am happy that the Speaker is saying that we add money in these projects of eradicating poverty,” Mr Museveni said.
He said: “Previously, some leaders were saying that we put money in salaries and other things, but we are now saying the same thing that money should be put in infrastructure and projects to eradicate poverty.”
Ms Kadaga said that Shs50 billion for the Green Jobs Programme, Shs30 billion for the National Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteer Scheme, Shs30 billion for the Uganda Green Incubation Project(UGIP)- Songhai Model, Shs100 billion Jobs for Urban Youth (JOY), Shs 20 billion for Access for Labour Justice and Shs50 billion for improving labour productivity.
“This Ministry [gender] works. I can confirm that it works. Your excellency, I ask you as the Minister Finance, because you are the Minister of Finance, that in the next financial year, you send [Matia] Kasaija to put for us this money,” Ms Kadaga said.
The Green Jobs Programme is Government’s strategic plan to create decent jobs by reducing negative environmental impacts and promoting safety and health at work ultimately leading to environmentally, economically and socially sustainable enterprises and economies.
The Improving Labour Productivity and Competitiveness Project seeks to establish a National Productivity Centre which will coordinate and spearhead productivity, measurement, research and dissemination.
The Uganda National Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteer Scheme aims at leveraging volunteerism as an essential mechanism for young people’s skills development.
The Uganda Green Incubation Programme (UGIP) - Songhai model emphasizes more production more with less, zero waste, creation of green jobs, inclusive economy and self-reliance.
The Jobs for Urban Youth (JOY) Project seeks to increase employment and labour productivity for urban youth.
The groups that benefitted from the second unit will directly employ over 5,000 people and the support that was provided will increase the productivity and profitability of these businesses, increase business growth and contribute to employment creation.
From the groups, 79 groups got tailoring equipment, 52 groups got salon equipment, 18 got ovens, 9 groups got desktop computers, 8 received jet car washing machines, 9 groups got animal feeds processing machines, while 8 got hand-drill machines.
The groups that benefitted are in the trades of mechanical, metal fabrication and welding, electrical, woodwork and carpentry, art, design, leatherworks, textile and tailoring, plumbing and construction, agro processing, information, communication and technology (ICT), automobile assembling, maintenance and repairs, cosmetology and creative arts.
The handover of business start-up tool kits to jua-kali (informal business) groups is a critical effort by the government to support youth and women through provision of green technologies, training, certification and accreditation.
Under the component of support to the informal sector, the target is to give business start-up tool kits and equipment to 1,000,000 Jua-kali businesses to benefit youth, women and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
Under the 2018 first cohort, 87 groups were drawn from Kampala and Wakiso districts.
To further boost support to the informal sector, the government, through the Green Jobs Programme, plans to establish Industrial Business Shelters with Common-user Facilities.
