About 55 graduate apprentices, mostly women in Obuasi, received business start-up kits after successfully undergoing apprenticeship training 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.
Elijah Adansi-Bonah, Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive (MCEE), who presented the items to the trainees, recounted the Assembly’s support to the apprentices during the National Vocational Technical Institute (NVTI) examination to empower the youth to learn trades and become economically independent.
He disclosed that the Assembly had sponsored apprentices to register and write the NVTI examinations, and lauded the laudable initiative, reiterating the government’s commitment to creating employment opportunities for the youth in Ghana.
He entreated the youth to take advantage of such programmes and initiatives like the GEA and Mastercard, with the support of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, and urged Ghanaians to continue to support the government to deliver on its promise in the creation of jobs for the teaming unemployed youth.
The MCE reminded them that before one could make a great impact and be successful as a business owner, one should add value to what one had acquired through training.
He also appealed to them to treat their customers and clients well and with dignity.
Mr. Kelvin Ofori Atta, Head of the Business Advisory Center (BAC) at Obuasi, commended the Municipal Chief Executive for his immense support towards the activities of the BAC and youth empowerment projects and programmes.
He stated that, so far, a total of 771 people in Obuasi had benefited from the three components of the Young Africa Works Programme, which included Innovation Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE), Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship (A2E) and MSME Business
Acceleration (MBA) on Jobs created and businesses established since 2021.
He stated that a total of 295 jobs had been created, with 79 new businesses established as a result of programmes rolled out by the Ghana Enterprises Agency in Obuasi.
Mr. Gabriel Dwomfuor, Chairman of the Association of Small Scale Industries in Obuasi, advised the beneficiaries to take what they had learnt seriously, improve upon it, and adopt best practices to market their products or businesses.
The beneficiaries thanked the government and the sponsoring agencies for the training and the start-up kits.
