A total of 218 youth have graduated from the Lango Zonal Industrial Hub located in Ayere Village, Barapwo Parish, and Lira City West Division in Lira City.
They were admitted in July 2022 for an extensive six-month vocational and skills development training in the different disciplines, including carpentry, hairdressing, tailoring, baking, welding, coffee processing, and maize processing, among others.
While presiding over the graduation ceremony on January 3rd, 2023, Jane Barekye, the State House Comptroller applauded President Yoweri Museveni for prioritizing the initiative to equip youths with income-generating skills.
“I would like to thank the President for his great wisdom in skilling the youth, which is the best way of bringing them into the money economy,” Barekye stated.
Barekye said the government will provide the youth with a common-user facility equipped with machines that can be used by everyone for free and manufacture different goods that can be consumed in both local and international markets.
She urged the youth to use the acquired skills to transform livelihoods and Uganda as a whole.
They were awarded a Level 1 certificate from the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) in the different disciplines of study.
In 2020, President Museveni ordered the construction of 21 zonal industrial hubs across the country to enhance youth skilling and vocational training.
These Zonal industrial hubs aim to reduce unemployment, particularly among youth, by producing job creators rather than job seekers, while also stimulating Ugandan industrial production.
The ceremony was also attended by Members of Parliament, Lango cultural leaders, directors from the Directorate of Industrial Training, and local leaders within the region, among others.