The Zambia Youths Association in the Fight Against Corruption (ZYAFAC) has hailed the policy directive by President Edgar Lungu to reserve a 30% threshold in all public procurement to the youths in Zambia.
ZYAFAC Executive Director Maurice Malambo tells Money FM News that this will go a long way in terms of youth empowerment as well as mitigate the youth unemployment levels.
Mr. Malambo says this policy directive is in the same spirit with the 20 percent sub contract policy for local contractors.
President Edgar Lungu has noted the need for the development and institutionalization of a youth affirmative action in public procurement which will ensure that 30 percent of all public procurements and contracts are reserved for the youths.
In a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development, Moses Mawere during the official opening of the 2019 National Youth Forum and Exhibition in Lusaka, President Lungu urged the Ministers of Finance, Commerce, Trade and Industry and Youth Sport and Child Development to enhance various interventions aimed at promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship.
But Mr. Malambo said Zambia needs such interventions in order to actualize its agenda of creating jobs for the young people.
He added that it is imperative that the line ministries work together to ensure that the implementation of this policy directive is beneficial to the youths in Zambia.
“We want to commend President Edgar Lungu for this policy directive to reserve a 30% threshold in all public procurement to the youths in Zambia. You know as a country, we have been calling on the government to come up with aggressive interventions to address the youth unemployment levels. This is the step in the right direction,” he said.
Mr. Malambo further stated that the directive is coming at the right time when the country is trying its level best in creating the much needed jobs for the young people.
The ZYAFAC Executive Director said this will help youths to actively participate in economic activities.

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