Some 55 youth, mostly women, have received business start-up kits after successfully undergoing apprenticeship training in Obuasi under the Young Africa Works Programme.
The initiative, which was designed by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and Mastercard Foundation in 2019, is targeted at creating employment and income generating opportunities for the Youth to simulate the economic activities in Ghana.
The beneficiaries had gone through successful training and mastered skills in cosmetology, dressmaking, welding, metal fabrication and auto mechanic.
The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Honorable Elijah Adansi-Bonah who delivered the items to the trainees recounted the Assembly’s support to the apprentice during the National Vocational Technical Institute (NVTI) examination. He said as a way of empowering the Youth to learn trade and be economically independent, the Assembly has been sponsoring apprentice to register and write the NVTI exams.
He again lauded the initiative and added that the NPP Government remains committed to creating employment opportunities for the Youth in Ghana. He urged the Youth to take advantage of such programmes.
“Initiatives like this from GEA and Mastercard with the support of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly is an indication that the Government is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to create jobs for the teaming unemployed youth in the country. Let’s continue to support the Government to deliver on its promise to create more jobs”.
Mr. Adansi-Bonah further urged the beneficiaries to add value to what they have learnt. He said ” before you can make great impact and be successful as a business owner you should add value to what you have acquired through training. I also appeal to you to treat your customers well”.
The Head of Business Advisory Center (B.A.C), Obuasi Kelvin Ofori Atta extolled the Municipal Chief Executive for his immense support towards the activities of the BAC and youth empowerment.
He explained that so far, a total of 771 people in Obuasi have benefited from the three components of the Young Africa Works Programme namely; Innovation Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE), Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship (A2E) and MSME Business Acceleration (MBA).
On Jobs created and businesses established since 2021, Mr. Ofori Atta said so far, a total of 295 jobs have been created with 79 new businesses established as a result of the plethora of programmes rolled up by the Ghana Enterprises Agency in Obuasi.
The Chairman of the Association of Small-Scale Industries in Obuasi Gabriel Dwomfour advised the beneficiaries to take what they have learnt seriously, improve upon it and also adopt the best practices to market their products or businesses.
The beneficiaries who spoke with the Media thanked the Government and the Sponsoring agencies for the training and the start- up kits.
By Sampson Manu
