Youth rights activist Lucky Mbewe has asked government to rectify challenges encountered in the first phase of the internship programme for the youth if the second phase is to register success.

The Ministry of Labour, Innovations and Skills announced the recruitment of 2,746 youths in the second cohort for the internship programme which is expected to commence on August 1, 2019.

Speaking to YFM Online, Mbewe commended the move saying it will benefit more youths just as in the first phase.

Mbewe however, was quick to highlight the need to scrutinize seriously the challenges the program encountered previously in a bid to register maximum success in the new phase.

He said among other things, government should ensure that there is enough working materials in the various institutions where the youth have been deployed and that mentors have been allocated to assist the youth on professional matters.

But principal secretary in the ministry of Labour, Innovation and Skills Joseph Mwandidya said they have done well on their part as government.

Mwadidya said they have put all necessities such as monthly stipends for the youth in order, however he distanced himself from the issue of providing adequate working resources saying they have no control over that but rather the institutions.

Government initiated the internship program last year as one way of reducing the high unemployment rate among the youth, by giving them hands on experience.