By Fiona Mukasa Alele
Lira District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Ismael Ochengel has urged young people to make productive use of their youthful years, warning that time is running out as they face growing socio-economic challenges.
Ochengel made the remarks during a youth capacity-building workshop at Lira District Local Government headquarters on October 16, 2026, where he revealed that Shs50 million had been recovered in cash from civil servants who allegedly fraudulently registered themselves as beneficiaries of the government’s cattle restocking programme.
He called on the youth to embrace opportunities that promote self-reliance and economic transformation rather than waste their energy and time on unproductive activities.
Patrick Ongom Aregedeng, the Erute North County Member of Parliament, challenged youth leaders to move beyond post-election trauma and focus on building their future through productive engagement and participation in development programmes.
Daniel Moro, the Lira District Youth Chairperson, said the workshop focused on mindset change, financial literacy, and the roles and responsibilities of youth leaders, particularly in governance and the management of government programmes.
Moro revealed that Lira District had so far received Shs1 billion under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), but only about Shs91 million had been recovered, raising concerns about the low repayment rate.
He said young people in the district continued to face challenges, including unemployment, school dropout, drug abuse, and high HIV prevalence, calling for deliberate interventions to address the problems.
The workshop, organised by the district youth council under the theme, “Empowering Youth Participation in Socio-Economic Transformation,” attracted more than 100 youth leaders drawn from the National Youth Council (NYC) and local government councillors.
The meeting sought to strengthen youth leadership, improve financial accountability, and encourage young people to participate actively in governance and government development programmes.