By Comfort Sena Fetrie-Akagbor
Tema, Jan. 14, GNA-Some Ghanaian youths have expressed keen anticipation for the commencement of President John Dramani Mahama’s National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), a flagship initiative introduced in 2025 to address youth unemployment through free technical and vocational skills training.
The programme is designed to equip young people with practical, employable skills while providing monthly stipends and start-up support to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable livelihoods in areas such as agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT), and various artisanal trades.
The first phase of the programme is expected to train about 10,000 youth, with plans to scale up significantly in subsequent years.
Miss Caroline Amesi, a resident of Tema, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she was excited about the implementation of the programme, describing it as a major opportunity to promote self-reliance among the youth.
Miss Amesi said the free training, monthly stipends, and provision of start-up capital and equipment would ease the burden on parents who could not afford to support their children after basic school or those unable to continue formal education.
According to her, the initiative would offer a second chance to many young people to acquire employable skills and build independent livelihoods.
She appealed to stakeholders responsible for the programme to expedite its implementation to enable young people facing financial challenges to benefit from it immediately after completing school.
Mr Seth Darko, another youth resident in Tema, also described the National Apprenticeship Programme as a crucial lifeline for many young people.
Mr Darko said the youth were hopeful that the successful rollout of the programme would provide them with valuable skills, reduce unemployment, and lead to greater economic independence.
He added that many young people were eagerly waiting to see the programme translate from policy into action with a lasting impact on their future prospects.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo