• Youths have been facing a lot of challenges resulting from the country’s economic recession.
• Empowerment of youth cooperative groups with 50 fuel transportation tankers is commendable.
• Youths must join the transporter associations so that they get mentorship and learn the industry’s best practices.
An Energy Expert has called on young people to take advantage of the empowerment policy in the Energy Sector.
Johnstone Chikwanda told Money FM News that the current empowerment of youth cooperative groups with 50 fuel transportation tankers is commendable because the move will help the beneficiaries to economically empower themselves.
Engineer Chikwanda said players in the Energy sector have for a long time been calling on government to create a platform on which sustainable youth partnership will be a reality as young people have been facing a lot of challenges resulting from the country’s economic recession.
He noted that in light of the high levels of capital required for one to participate in the oil industry, government has done a commendable job by intervening with an affirmative empowerment action.
“Currently President Edgar Lungu has empowered youth cooperative groups in the country with 50 fuel transportation tankers a situation I wish to commend as this will help the youths to economically empower themselves.”
“We acknowledge that Youth participation in the energy sector is virtually non- existent due to many challenges including the high cost of investment level requirements to effectively participate in the sector,” Engineer Chikwanda said.
Meanwhile, Engineer Chikwanda called on the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to urgently give fuel transportation licenses to the youth cooperatives so that they can commence operations as soon as possible.
He also urged young people to join the transporter associations so that they can get mentorship and learn the industry’s best practices, stressing the need to take the empowerment scheme seriously.
“I am thus calling upon youths to join the transporter associations so that they can get mentorship and learn the industry’s best practices as there is need to take this seriously because these kind of empowerment schemes are not usually available and must note that this is the first time in the history of Zambia that such a scheme has been implemented.”
“Government has shown its commitment to ensure that the plight of the youths in this country is prioritized the reason why youths must seize this opportunity and become more responsible so that they can take part in the various initiatives government is rolling out instead of playing blame games,” he added.
Government has Procured 50 fuel tankers as part of its programme to empower youths in the transport sector.
Speaking recently when he graced this year’s National Youth day, President Edgar Lungu disclosed that 25 of the fuel tankers are in the country ready to be distributed to youth cooperatives.
