The Ministry of Youth Development, Empowerment and Indigenisation will soon lobby Cabinet for the resuscitation of the National Youth Service programme.

Speaking at the Chinhoyi Press Club last week, Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said plans were at an advanced stage for the reopening of the training centres across the country.

He said he would soon present a paper to Cabinet on recommendations and proposals to revamp the programme in line with provisions of the Global Political Agreement signed last year between the three main political parties.

"We are almost there in our preparation to restart the programme which we stopped owing to many challenges that the country was facing last year," he said.

Minister Kasukuwere said the training institutions across the country were being maintained for eventual opening.

The National Youth Service, which has been successfully implemented in many countries across the world, was introduced by Government to inculcate patriotism and equip youths with professional and life skills.

It also seeks to entrench voluntarism as a virtue among youths.

However, it was noted during negotiations that led to the formation of the inclusive Government that the programme needed to be revamped so it could operate outside the influence of political parties.