Samia says government plans to turn youth into productive force

Mwalimu Nyerere died in London on October 14, 1999, at the age of 77. Addressing the public in Manyara Region, President Hassan reiterated the commitment of her government to strengthening healthcare and environmental conservation.

She said according to the Population and Household Census, 34.5 percent of Tanzanians fall between the ages of 15 and 35, making it the largest workforce for national development.

The President said she recognises that, if not properly directed, the youth could become a burden to the nation. “The goal of my government is to nurture an honest, responsible, hardworking, and patriotic youth who can contribute fully to their own development and that of our nation,” she said.

She said her government was constructing 64 vocational and technical colleges in various districts to provide technical skills to the youth in an effort to address unemployment in the country.

President Hassan also encouraged the engagement of the youth in tourism, small-scale industries, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), agribusiness, sports, arts, and innovation startups in order to create employment opportunities.

She expressed her concerns over the continued impacts of HIV/AIDS on youth, noting that despite significant progress in managing the epidemic, an average of 54,000 Tanzanians contract the disease annually, according to the 2021 statistics.

According to her, data shows that approximately 29,000 HIV/AIDS-related deaths have been recorded in the country annually.

While acknowledging the achievements in increasing awareness and access to treatment, President Hassan told the youth and Tanzanians in general to remain vigilant, emphasising that there is still much work to be done in the area.

Regarding drug abuse President Hassan urged the people to collaborate with authorities in the fight against illicit drugs that pose a great threat to the wellbeing of the youth.

She shared concerns raised by clergymen about the rapidly growing prevalence of illicit drug use among the youngsters in the Manyara Region, urging regional and district commissioners countrywide to intensify the fight against the vice.

In alignment with the celebration’s theme, Take Care of the Environment; Save Water Sources for the Well-being of Living Organisms and the National Economy, President Hassan highlighted the significant challenge of climate change.

She stressed the role of human activities in driving climate change, leading to ecological destruction and biodiversity loss, as well as adverse effects like unpredictable weather patterns, floods, droughts, and rising temperatures.

The President called on leaders and citizens alike to take decisive action in conserving water sources and tree planting.

She referenced the national strategy that mandates each district to plant and grow 1,500,000 trees annually, a critical step in mitigating the loss of over two million trees every year due to deforestation.

President Hassan stressed the effective and efficient implementation of the tree-planting campaign and called for its revitalization. Furthermore, she issued a warning regarding El Nino rains during the autumn season, especially for regions along the lake region and the Indian Ocean Coast, urging regional authorities to ensure necessary precautions were taken to prevent calamities.

President Hassan reiterated her commitment to addressing critical issues, from empowering the youth to safeguarding public health and environmental conservation.

“Let’s unite and work together, with dedication and resolve, to build a nation where our youth thrive, our health is safeguarded, and our environment is conserved for the future generation,” she said.