Embrace entrepreneurship training, start-up programme… Ashaiman MCE urges youth
The Chief Executive of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Albert BoakyeOkyere,has advised the youth in the area to embrace the government’s flagship programme, dubbed “Entrepreneurship Training and Start-up Grants for Junior High School Graduates.”
He stated that this programme would go a long way to curb the unemployment situation in the country and further improve the domestic economy of municipality, which is noted for artisanal and business success.
Mr. Okyere explained that the entrepreneur training and start-up grants were fit for the type of businesses operating in Ashaiman and its environs, therefore it was important for the youth to take advantage of it.
He gave the advice at a sensitation workshop at Ashaiman on Wednesday for potential candidates to be selected for training.
According to him, the municipality has a lot of artisans, including tailors, machine shop operators, fitters, welders, shoe makers, traders and business people, saying that, some of them can mentor the young oneswho would be hooked onto the programme.
The Chief Executive urged those who would be elected to undergo training to take their programmes seriously because it could be their ultimate destiny for a better standard of living.
Mr. Alidu Mohammed Amid, Business Adviser of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Ashaiman Municipality, implementer of the programme, said it was targeting about 1,000 youth for the sansitation workshop.
He explained that after the sansitation, GEA would open a window for people to apply online, followed by a screening process, training and the assessment of individual needs.
According to him, after exhausting these processes, qualified persons would be given start-up materials, working capitals and products that would be produce registered with relevant legal entities like the Food and Drugs Authority.
Government, last year announced the programme that would culminate into job creation, job sustainability, business innovation and growth for the youth, leading to the reduction of social vices due mainly to unemployment amongst the youth.
It is under the auspices of the World Bank funded Ghana Jobs and Skills Project (GJSP) to support skills development and jobs creation in the country.
The Agency would provide entrepreneurship training for 50,000 youth and early adults who have the potential to start a business.
The targeted youth would be between 18 to 40 years and shouldhold a minimum of basic education certificate examination, willingness to start a business and special attention would be given to women and Persons with Disabilities.
The Business Start-up Grants would also deploy financial support to 5,000 selected youth who successfully undergo training and would be available to individuals, formed groups, majority-owned by Ghanaians, operating with high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any of the non-resourced-based sectors.
BY IAN MOTEY
