Create jobs for youth, commentators urge
Malawi needs to create enough jobs for the youth and address concerns of rapid population growth if the economy is to grow sustainably.
This was a consensus of speakers at a two-day annual lake conference for the Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) which ended on Friday.
Held under the theme ‘Population Growth- Challenges and Opportunities Economic Development in Malawi,’ the conference attracted the country’s top economists.
In an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Ecama president, Chikumbutso Kalilombe, said there is need for the country to use the youthful population for economic gains.
“We will produce a communiqué but we also have an action matrix and we will take this to the ministry of finance,” Kalilombe said.
Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) Chief Executive Officer, Chancellor Kafelapanjira, said there is need to create employment opportunities in areas that are labour intensive in various sectors of the economy.
“We need to promote industries. We get a lot of intension to venture into some industries but what would government do in terms of incentives?” Wondered Kaferapanjira.
He added that the government must have right policies including addressing current energy woes.
Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor, Dalitso Kabambe, said due to the current demographics where 51 percent of the population is below 18 years, every year, there are large numbers of people that are entering the job market at various levels.
He said the economy is failing to generate sufficient jobs for all.
