ONGWEDIVA – As the nation braces itself for the 2023/24 national budget today, the Swapo Party Youth League has shared its two cents on what government should prioritise.

This was in response to a social media post on the Ministry of Finance’s social media page asking the nation “what would you like to advise the minister?”

In a letter to the finance ministry penned yesterday by the secretary, Efraim Nekongo, SPYL wants the priority to be on education.

Although the education ministry always receives top priority in the national budget, Nekongo says the majority of this allocation goes to operational expenses, leaving a smaller portion for capital expenditure.

He, therefore, recommended increased budget allocation to capital expenditure to improve the learning environment in public schools due to infrastructure deficit, especially in rural areas.

“SPYL learnt that schools do not receive funds and teaching and learning materials on time, which forces school management to ask parents to buy stationeries at the beginning of the year. SPYL recommends that the government ensure that stationeries aimed for the academic year are delivered before the opening day of the academic year,” he said.

The governing party’s youth wing also wants the government to renovate and repair broken/unfunctional health machinery, as they have observed many hospitals and clinics are in a dilapidated state.

Nekongo said the unsuitable conditions of the government hospitals have been used to tarnish the name of the party.

“The lack of adequate medicine in public hospitals is indeed a big concern. It is not very clear if this is due to insufficient budget allocation to the Ministry of Health and Social Services or simply as a result of maladministration in the ministry. The health of our people is important and we would like to see the public hospitals well stocked with medicine,” said Nekongo.

Youth unemployment, estimated at around 50%, is one of the biggest challenges the country is facing and SPYL wants more funds to be allocated to employment creation, skills development and programmes that scale youth enterprises to access available funding.

“We advise funds be allocated to graduates in-service training programmes in government and in collaboration with the private sector to afford graduates an opportunity to attain the necessary market-related experience and skills while earning a modest income to set them up.” 

Water and agriculture are also some of the commodities the youth wing feels should also be given priority.

“Importantly, it is for government to cut down on unnecessary spending to ensure resources are allocated to priority areas,” urged the youth leader.

- ashikololo@nepc.com.na