Cape Coast, Sept. 25, GNA – The Central Regional branch of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) through its “Marketable skills training programme” has provided hands-on-skills to twenty women in hair braiding, fascinator and beads making, make up, decoration as well as basic sewing.
The training, a flagship project of the Centre was initiated in 2017 to bring hope to the doorstep of youth groups and especially young girls and women who wish to acquire hands-on skills as a means of creating employment to make them self-reliant.
The graduation ceremony was on the theme: “Identifying, developing and rewarding creative talents: making artistic products to contribute to wealth creation”.
The beneficiaries were taken through modeling to exhibit products made by them during the period of training.
Professor Ephraim Avea Nsoh, Principal of the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba who chaired the programme encouraged CNC to outline a well laid out programme to track the progress of the beneficiaries.
He stated that the CNC had the responsibility to lead the beneficiaries beyond the training to ensure they were successful in their respective endeavors.
He further admonished them to provide regular assessment and assist them to seek financial support.
Madam Janet Edna Nyame, the Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) in a speech read on her behalf by Reverend Stephen Ebo Kesse, Western Regional Director of CNC cautioned the youth against seeking employment only in the public sector.
Rather, they should think outside the box and create initiatives that would create employment for themselves and others.
Madam Nyame expressed optimism that the skills gained through the programme would help sharpen and expand the horizon of the beneficiaries to generate sustainable income to support their families.
She commended the CNC Cape Coast for the initiative and assured of the NCC’s support to impart knowledge and skills that would enable individuals to become self-reliant.
Ms Dorcas Salamatu Alhassan, Central Regional Director of CNC underscored the need for cultural institutions and stakeholders to contribute in impacting positivity on the youth employable skills programme that would help reduce unemployment in the Country.
According to her, arts training brings social cohesion and nation building through the promotion of intercultural dialogue.
Mr. Oduah Kwesi Sampson, Public Relations Officer of the Centre said the training formed part of the implementation of the cultural policy of Ghana aimed at identifying, developing and rewarding creative talents, and making artistic products to contribute to wealth creation both for creative individuals and the nation as a whole.
He said the training presented tangible evidence of the Centre’s direct impact and relevance towards human development, employment and wealth creation, and seeks to improve the socio-economic standards of trainees, by addressing the problem of unemployment in the country and beyond.
The training has been named after Madam Christiana Carl Oparebea, the Initiator and immediate past Regional Director of the CNC.
The Centre also honoured Mr. Tsatsu Doku, Mr. Emmanuel Akortsu and Mr. Emmanuel Quao, all past Regional Directors of CNC for their significant contributions towards the success story.
GNA