Youth just want to fight leaders – Uutoni

Youth minister Erastus Uutoni has expressed his disappointment with Ohangwena youth, after they failed to get the Onehanga Youth Irrigation Project off the ground, which government had funded to the tune of N$3.5 million.Uutoni said youth these days do not want to work for themselves, but rather want to spend their times fighting their leaders.Uutoni said the project had the potential to improve the livelihoods of many youth in the region, through employment-creation and income-generation activities.A few years ago, the youth ministry gave N$1 million towards the project, which was used to fence-off and de-bush about 40 hectares of land and install boreholes, while the Social Security Commission (SSC) pumped N$2.5 million into the initiative.This project failed to get off the ground and was abandoned in 2015.Youth in the region are accusing National Youth Council (NYC) regional coordinator, Olivia Valungameka, of being responsible for the failure and abandonment of the project at Onehanga in the Okongo constituency.“I am very much disappointed. The government gave you money to start a project, but you failed to seize that opportunity and failed to get it off the ground. This was supposed to be one of the successful youth projects in your region that could solve many social challenges facing the youth in the region,” Uutoni said on Monday, while addressing youth at Eenhana.“If government gave you money to establish a project and you failed, what else do you want the government to do for you? You were supposed to come to the ministry and ask for help when you were struggling. We could have helped you and your project.”Youth in the region earlier told Namibian Sun that Valungameka had acted on her own, without taking technical advice from the youth ministry - a situation that led to the project's downfall and abandonment in 2015.It was reported that the agricultural project was established after a regional youth forum secured land at Onehanga village from the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority.However, the abandoned project has now become a grazing area for local farmers.Situated approximately 43km east of Okongo, the project was supposed to compromise of small-scale horticultural production, including the growing of cabbage, carrots, beetroot and onions.“The project was initiated by the NYC for Ohangwena youth through the Ohangwena Youth Forum to produce fresh produce and generate income. About 50 youth were involved in the project since work commenced in 2013, but later things did not go well, as Valungameka refused to listen to anybody,” said a source, who chose to remain anonymous.The source said further the youth ministry provided financial and technical support, while the SSC also supported the project financially and assisted with its management.“The youth ministry gave N$1 million to the project to fence and de-bush about 40 hectares and also to establish boreholes, while the SSC gave N$2.5 million, which was used to construct two blocks with three bedrooms each, but the structures have not been completed.“We had plans to plant summer crops such as tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, butternuts, green peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, maize, mahangu and sorghum,” the source added.ILENI NANDJATO

Youth just want to fight leaders – Uutoni

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

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Youth just want to fight leaders – Uutoni

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

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