Hon Betty Amongi Akena the minister of gender labour and social development while addressing the IOM UN migration/ IOM development fund started by honouring the memory of the late COl (Rtd) Charles Patrick Okello Engola, a former state minister of labour, Employment and industrial relations who died on 2nd may 2023 and with whom IOM worked closely.
She said that she was sure the late would be present if he was alive because the project was under his docket. She request for a minute of silence.
She also welcomed everyone who to the workshop on the end of the International development fund ( IDF) project which commenced in January 2021.
In a special way she appreciated the IOM in Uganda led by the chief of mission Mr Sanusi Tejan Savage for supporting the ministry in the implementation of all the activities under this project and other activities that she felt can't be mentioned there.
She also thanked the ministry technical team led by Mr Aggrey David Kibenge for successfully overseeing the implementation of the IOM- IDF project.
She also assured participants and stakeholders that they have convened not only to celebrate the completion but also the success of a programme that has contributed to government efforts towards the creation of full, productive and decent employment.
She also noted that the IOM supported interventions are largely successful because they are developed in consultation with the ministry based on the needs of the country.
She commented that under this project they have been able to conduct the regulatory impact assessment which found that there was no need for a migration policy but a review of the employment policy.
She therefore called upon all other development partners not to impose changes in the policy and legal framework of developing countries.
She also noted that the guidelines on development of bilateral labour agreements developed under this project were useful in strengthening the bilateral labour agreements recently signed between Uganda and Saudi Arabia.
She highlighted one of the challenges of implementing that the national employment policy, 2011 was the absence of an accompanying action plan. I am therefore happy to note that under this project, the national employment policy has not only been reviewed but also an accompanying draft national action plan has been developed.
She further said that the permanent secretary should lay ground for cooperation with Ilo and IOM towards the implementation of the revised policy.
She also reiterated that the government of Uganda remains committed to the creation of employment for all especially the youths in Uganda.
Indeed the government has taken several measures to promote the creation of employment, these include ensuring peace and stability, lowering the cost of doing Business, attracting foreign direct investment, promoting education and skilling and enacting labour protection laws.
Despite these measures, unemployment remains a challenge however, the existence of unemployment does not mean that jobs have not been created in the economy.
The labour force survey 2021shows that 1,023000jobs were created between 2017 and 2021.
Therefore the unemployment we are facing is because the population has been growing faster than the rate at which the economy has been creating jobs.
She finally concluded by saying that the ministry also continues to implement programs like YLP,UWEP,PDM which have jointly assisted over 500,000 individuals to create their own jobs. In addition, the ministry launched the GROW project which will support women led enterprise development and creation of over 200,000 jobs.
She finally thanked the IOM for supporting this project and always looking forward to their continued corporation
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