Minister of Sports, Youth and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga has bemoaned failure by some youth enterprises to pay back seed money given to them.

Speaking when he met staff from the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, Mulenga said this affected the expansion programmes aimed at increasing the number of youth beneficiaries.

Mulenga, however, said 800 youths had been trained in aquaculture skills as part of the Youth Empowerment Programme.

“Mr Mulenga noted that youth empowerment in the fisheries sector was cardinal as it would help facilitate economic development and job creation among the youths. He mentioned that his Ministry was recruiting an average of 400 youths from across the country every quarter to be trained in various skills that included carpentry and aquaculture, among others. Mr Mulenga, however, bemoaned failure by some youth enterprises to pay back seed money given to them. He said this was affecting expansion programs aimed at increasing the number of youth beneficiaries,” read a statement availed by First Press Secretary at the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, Naomi Nyawali.

“Government says about 800 youths across the country have been trained in aquaculture skills as part of youth empowerment programme. Sports, Youth and Child Development Minister, Mr Emmanuel Mulenga, says about 400 out of 800 have since graduated from Mwekera Training Centre on the Copperbelt. Mr Mulenga said government, through his Ministry and Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, have set about 30 per cent of project funds for youth empowerment. He said fingerlings for graduated youths are ready for their fish farming.”

Mulenga was speaking in South Africa when he met staff from the Zambian Mission in Pretoria enroute to Lesotho where he was attending an African Union Sports Council Conference for Zone Five Games, according to the statement.