OSHAKATI – Omusati Regional Youth Forum Chairperson Rakel Ashivudhi has said young people in the region want to see equal opportunities and improved access to basic services such as water, electricity and network coverage over the next decade.

Ashivudhi told Nampa recently that although Namibia has made progress since independence in 1990, young people in the region want development that reaches every corner of the region.

“Young people want togetherness, more opportunities for every youth to be offered equally, basic services such as water connectivity and electricity, as well as a network reaching every corner of our region,” said Ashivudhi.

Young people have been included in Namibia’s development agenda since independence through youth forums and government support initiatives, such as the Youth Fund, to enable them to access assistance and participate in the country’s development.

Ashivudhi noted that the high youth unemployment and rising crime, however, remain the most pressing challenges faced by young people in the region, suggesting that the government create more basic jobs that could be carried out by the majority of the youth.

“This would be sustainable since they will not take up a big chunk of the budget,” she said.

The chairperson further called for the deployment of more security personnel to crime hot spots, saying that there is a need to provide a platform where criminals can be reported, anonymously.

Meanwhile, Ashivudhi highlighted that the region has benefited from the government’s decentralisation policy, with government services now accessible in the various constituencies as well as the upgrade of network coverage.

“The decentralisation of government offices to the constituencies, such as the Ministry of Gender and Home Affairs, has made a significant impact on young people’s lives. They don’t have to travel long distances anymore. The upgrade in network coverage has also made life easier for most youth. They are positive about such improvements because they seek services from such offices and make use of the available connectivity,” she added. 

-Nampa