The Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, has urged beneficiaries of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) skills training for personnel, spouses, civil employees and other security services to create businesses out of their newly acquired skills.
According to Mrs. Bawumia, it was not enough to acquire skills, but it was when put into practice.
The Second Lady was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) skills training on Friday, August 5, 2022, at Burma Camp in Accra.
“To the beneficiaries from this skills training initiative, understand that your success in life won’t be determined just by what is given you, or what happens to you, but by what you do with what is given to you, how you react to what happens to you, how hard you try, how much you push yourself, and how far you’re willing to go,” she said.
She told the beneficiaries that although the government over the years is making steady progress to improve the quality of life of women, there is still more to be done in this regard. Thus, there is the need to hold a discussion on equal business opportunities and remuneration for women. Mrs. Bawumia thanked the Armed Forces for its magnanimity to give free skill training to the dependants of the security personnel.
On his part, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, said the programme had over 5,000 participants from the GAF, Police Service, Prisons Service, Immigration Service, Fire Service and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
He said the programme was purposed to benefit just about 4,000 dependants of GAF employees but a friendly hand was extended to the other security agencies, and some civilians outside the barracks, enhance the balloon numbers.
The CDS indicated that the aim of the Skills Training Programme was to equip the participants especially with skills that would enable them support their families during active Service and on retirement.
According to him, the programme was run in all the garrisons across the country, saying “Since I took over as the Chief of the Defence Staff, I have been thinking of ways to improve the livelihood of personnel and other supporting staff and their families in and around the barracks. Upon careful consideration and discussions, the idea of training our spouses to acquire some trade skills came up.”
He said on a wider scale the programme was novel to GAF, but not new to the Navy, since a similar programme was organised by the Navy when he was the Chief of the Naval Staff.
Mr. Amoama thanked the sponsor, Ghana Enterprises Agency and facilitators for their support.
Mrs. KosiYankey-Ayeh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Enterprises Agency, said skills development can contribute to structural transformation and economic growth and help countries to become more competitive.
She, therefore, sided with the World Bank that to succeed in the 2Ist-century labour market, one needs a comprehensive skill set composed of cognitive skills, socio-emotional skills, technical skills, and digital skills.
“For this reason, I am happy for the support received from the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works Project, especially under our Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship Component to equip over 4,000 women and youth with skills. Through this support, over GEA has equipped and graduated over 13.000 apprentices across the country.
“What we are witnessing today, the graduation of these 4,000 beneficiaries also forms a part of our joint efforts with the Armed forces to have provided requisite skills to change lives and created dignified and fulfilling jobs,” she added.
