President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called on young people to participate in discussions concerning national policies and engage on issues of public concern, particularly because the future is theirs.
Nandi-Ndaitwah was addressing young people at the Nkurenkuru Expo Hall in Kavango West on Friday, soliciting their input and ideas on how to enhance their lives.
The event, titled "Youth in conversation with the President – the people's parliament", was organised by the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL).
President Nandi-Ndaitwah said engagements like these will strengthen communication between the government and its citizens, especially since the youth will share their concerns and local challenges. The president, through her team, will then communicate national plans, achievements, ongoing reforms and solutions for how to tackle the challenges.
"Tell me now, what role and where do you find yourself? Where do you want to be as we are implementing NDP6? And what do you want me to do for you so you can play that role? That space you are finding yourself in? We will listen. We might not take everything that you are putting there, but we will come with something that can carry all of us."
71% of Namibia's population is young, and over 44% of those young people are unemployed. The President said some of the government's priority areas are directly talking to the youth, which are education and training, sports, the creative industries and youth empowerment, particularly entrepreneurs and innovators.
"When we are empowering the youth, we are empowering the nation. When we take the youth up, we are uplifting the nation. As a young person now, where do you find your space? Now once you identify where you will be placed to have that capacity, can space be created to allow me to play my role in the space where I am finding myself? And that's why we want you to tell us what role you are playing in the implementation."
The attendees did not waste time by asking questions regarding several concerns.
They wanted to know the impact of the government paying for registration and tuition fees next year, the speediness around the basic income grant, people paying for jobs, especially in the nursing profession, the government's plans to ease unemployment, and stateless and undocumented people in the region.
They also questioned the lack of youth officers and inland roads in the region, the need for socio-economic hubs, opportunities for school dropouts, the regulation of public transport fees, the unavailability of land for agricultural purposes and lastly, prioritising locals from the region when it comes to employment.
The president and her team took the time to answer their queries. This is the head of state's reflection on the engagement. "From the discussions, our people are following what is happening in our country, and that's why they are able to ask relevant questions that are of great concern to our nation. Through this engagement, when we go back, we'll be able to explain to others who are not here and even to explain better because, all of us are committed and ready to work for our country."
Similar engagements are expected to take place countrywide.