By Dennis Peprah
Jinjini, (B/R), Feb. 17, GNA – The National Youth Authority is supporting 50 young people in the Bono Region to undergo employable skills training to acquire decent jobs under its Skill Towards Employment and Productivity Programme (STEP).
The beneficiaries, selected from deprived communities in Berekum West and Banda Districts of the region, comprise 18 males and 32 females, between the ages of 15 and 30.
Accordingly, the authority presented working tools and equipment, including hair dryers, rollers and trolleys, sewing machines and satellite installation machines to the beneficiaries to undergo training in hairdressing, dressmaking, satellite installation, makeups and cosmetology.
STEP is a programme designed by the NYA to identify and provide skill training support to enable young people to learn trade skills to help reduce teeming youth unemployment in the country.
Speaking at separate ceremonies held at Jinjini in the Berekum West, and Banda in the Banda District of the region, Mr Nelson Owusu Ansah, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NYA, said the STEP programme was committed to developing the youth to make them self-reliant.
He said the programme being implemented in 30 districts across the country had designed and taken the beneficiaries through four training modules, including hair dressing, dress making, cosmetology and satellite installation.
Madam Fati Bamba, the Bono Regional Director of the NYA, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that based on critical assessments, the beneficiaries were selected from Sabiye, Makola, Banda Bongase, Kabrono and Dompofie in the Banda and Ayinom, Jamdede and Jinjini in the Berekum West.
She said NYA was committed to reducing joblessness among the youth and urged the beneficiaries to take their training seriously to justify the investment the government was making in them.
Mad Bamba said the government could expand the programme to benefit more of the unemployed young people, depending on the readiness and commitment of the beneficiaries to learn the trade.
GNA