The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Enterprise Agency, Kosi Yankey-Ayehsays, says her outfit is set to provide entrepreneurship training to 50,000 youths and support a number of them with start-up grants under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project.
“This programme will be providing entrepreneurship training to 50,000 youths who have the potential to start a business, as well as support a number of them with start-up grants under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project, which is part of the first phase,” she said.
Mrs. Kosi Yankey-Ayeh made this known on Monday this week, at the press launch of the YouStart District Entrepreneurship programme in Accra, and to officially open the YouStart application portal, which will be open for 6 weeks to provide the first phase of support to potential beneficiaries.
The first phase will be the YouStart Ghana Jobs and Skills Programme, which will focus on training and the provision of grants to selected beneficiaries who complete the training programme.
The programme, with funding support from the World Bank, is also intended to complement the government’s efforts to reduce the country’s high rate of youth unemployment.
Mrs. Yankey-Ayeh emphasised that the YouStart programme was set up specifically to support the youth, as the project was currently being implemented by various agencies and ministries.
These organisations, according to her, were the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Ministry of Finance, Ghana Enterprise Agency, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, National Youth Authority, Youth Employment Agency, and many more.
“The focus is persons of 18 years and above with minimum education of BECE, school dropouts, and those who are willing to start a business,” she added.
She encouraged Ghanaian youths to apply and participate in the project, especially those who wanted to set up their own businesses.
Also, in a speech delivered on behalf of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, he said by producing one million jobs for young people over the course of three years, the YouStart District Entrepreneurship Programme sought to reduce barriers for current and potential young entrepreneurs throughout the 216 districts of the country.
He further added that the government would extend comprehensive technical support through training on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and business management to support the creation of sustainable businesses across the communities.
Mr. Ken Ofori Atta again stated in his speech that there would be many phases with this intervention. Also at the middle of this year, the pilot phase was implemented and successfully supported 46 individual beneficiaries and eight groups/associations with membership between six and 45 persons across the country.
“Some beneficiaries who are committed to the programme will be provided with financial support to cover working capital requirements, business expansion and acquisition of equipment or machinery for some selected programme beneficiaries who go through the program successfully,” he noted.
