Some applicants of the 2018 National Cadet Program, MYS Officials and partners The Government of Liberia (GoL) through the Ministry of Youth and Sports or MYS with support from Mercy Corps launches the 2018 National Cadet Program.
The official launch was held Monday, September 10, at the Ministry in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. Youth and Sports Minister, D. Zeogar Wilson, says considering the high unemployment rate among the youthful population, government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports must strive to prioritize programs that are geared to creating empowerment and employment for young people.
“We, as a government must provide means for the empowerment of young people in the country. There must be government programs that support youth employment and empowerment,” Minister Wilson stresses. In order to create greater space for youth employment and empowerment, he recommends that government supports and legislates programs aimed at creating employment possibilities for youth.
By this means, he points out; succeeding government would live up to existing laws to support various youth programs in the country. He urges successful applicants for the 2018 National Cadet Program to be disciplined
and committed to whatever duty they would be assigned to.
“My warning to you is that you must do your best at wherever you would be assigned. You must be disciplined as well, because this is the hallmark to success,” the minister underscores. Mercy Corps Country Director, Kwasi Gyeabour, says support provided towards the cadet program by his institutions is geared towards building young people for a prosperous future.
He recounts that since 2013, the program has yielded tangible results, as many youth who enrolled, have been gainfully employed at different places. “Since we began supporting the program through support from the Embassy of Sweden, the results are very good,” he adds.
He discloses plans to expand the program to other parts of the country, noting that Nimba and Bong Counties are being earmarked. Deputy Minister for Youth Development Isaac N. Doe, describes the National Cadet
Program as one of government’s frontline initiatives to combat under empowerment and unemployment confronting young Liberians.
Deputy Minister Doe reveals that since its reintroduction in 2009, an estimated 526 young Liberians have benefited from the program, and that out of that number, 236 beneficiaries representing 45 percent have led to permanent employment. Of this number, he says 112 or 47 percent of those employed are females, while 214
or 53 percent are males.
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The Coordinator of the National Cadet Program, Samuel K. Mappy, IV, discloses that 200 out of a total of 1,680 applicants would be selected after thorough review of their applications. “We look at the issue of job experience, because this program is intended to give our youth first hand job readiness,” Mappy concludes.
–Editing by Jonathan Browne
