By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Government says about 800 youths across the country have been trained in aquaculture skills as part of youth empowerment program.
Sports, Youth and Child Development Minister Emmanuel Mulenga said 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 percent of project funds for youth empowerment.
He said fingerlings for graduated youths are ready for their fish farming.
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 youths enterprises to pay back seed money given to them.
He said this was affecting expansion programs aimed at increasing the number of youth beneficiaries.
Mr 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
This is contained in a statement by Naomi Nyawali First Secretary Press and Public Relations in the office of the Zambia High Commission to South Africa.
