By James Innocent
Gambling cases are alarming in Yei River County, according to Youth Association Chairperson.
Gaga Frank Osman said gambling activities in Yei River County drive young people into stealing at night after they run out of money in their pockets.
Gaga cited a rising number of young people joining gambling instead of engaging in Agricultural activity.
He said, after losing money in gambling games, those in the practice resort to stealing people’s money and property.
Gaga noted a bad culture of deception and theft, ensuing among students involved in gambling.
“A good number of students don’t pay school fees because they use the money for gambling after losing, and they end up stealing their parents’ money,” Gaga lamented.
The youth chairman further calls on young people to support their parents in agriculture to boost food production in order to withstand the current economic hardship.
Meanwhile, Mary Akandu Elias Lasu, a woman representing Gimunu Boma, weighs farming against gambling; participation in agriculture could be very beneficial.
“Young people are wasting time playing games which do not benefit any society,” Akandu noted.
Knowing that in every unproductive society, women and children often bear the brunt of hardship, Akandu lobbies for empowerment.
“We as women, we need empowerment so that we have enough capacity to develop our nation,” she advocated.
Meanwhile, Yei County’s director of agriculture emphasized the need for livelihood partners and the government to provide capacity training to young people.
He said life skills change mindset of young people to become productive and participate in improving the economy of the country.