Leaders from ghetto communities in the Busoga subregion have pledged to promote youth empowerment and support efforts aimed at building crime-free communities through organized structures and access to government wealth creation programs.

The commitment was made during the Busoga Sub-region Ghetto Structure Leaders' Retreat held at the Bishop Willis Centre in Iganga Municipality, where leaders discussed strategies to improve livelihoods among vulnerable youth.

Leaders from 131 ghetto depots across the Busoga sub-region gathered in Iganga Municipality for a three-day retreat held under the theme, “Empowering the Ghettos for a Crime-Free Society.”

The Deputy National Coordinator of the Ghetto Structure Project, Major Emma Kutesa, said the initiative was established to organize ghetto communities and provide young people with opportunities to participate in government development programs aimed at improving their livelihoods.

Major Kutesa said the initiative is helping transform ghetto communities by promoting self-reliance, discipline, and responsible participation in economic activities.

The National Female Youth Member of Parliament, Mercy Kanyesigye, encouraged young people to make productive use of government support programs by investing in vocational training and technical skills that can create sustainable income opportunities.

The Commissioner in charge of the RDC Secretariat, Colonel Dhamuzungu Oguli, challenged ghetto leaders to identify the skills and abilities of young people in their communities and link them to available economic opportunities.

Oguli also encouraged communities with access to land to embrace productive ventures under the Four-Acre Model, including commercial coffee farming, while stressing the importance of accountability in the management of government resources.

The retreat also featured elections for the Busoga Regional Ghetto Structure leadership, which will coordinate activities across the sub-region, covering 11 districts and one city.

Leaders say the initiative will continue focusing on empowering youth economically, promoting responsible citizenship and creating safer communities across Busoga and Uganda.