By Jerry Azanduna, GNA
Techiman, (Bono East) Feb. 18, GNA – The Bono East Regional office of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has presented training tools and equipment to 365 apprentices undergoing employable skills training under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) in the region.
The Authority presented the working tools comprising 246 sewing machines and 22 hair dryers and accessories to 67 artisans spread across the 11 politically administrative Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) selected to train the beneficiaries.
Speaking at a short ceremony at Techiman, Mr Kofi Baba, the Bono East Regional Coordinator for the NYA, said the beneficiaries were the first batch of 550 trainees and 110 artisans expected to benefit from the NAP in the region.
He said the second batch of the employable skills training covered automobile engineering, carpentering and joinery, masonry as well as building and construction, assuring that it would take off very soon.
Mr Baba advised the beneficiaries to take their training seriously to enable them to pass out and get decent jobs.
Mr Francis Owusu Antwi, the Bono East Regional Minister, stressed the government’s dedication to create more job opportunities for the youth.
He said the NAP mostly targeted and focused on providing employable skills training to people who could not acquire formal education and expressed the hope that the beneficiary apprentices would remain submissive to learn the craft.
Mr Antwi urged the beneficiaries to own and take proper care of the training tools, explaining that the government was constructing the 24-hour economy markets to create job opportunities and spur rapid socio-economic growth and development.
He said the Women Development Bank initiative would also set off very soon to less interest loans to boost women businesses too.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, Madam Alimatu Haruna, one of the trainers pledged to monitor the use of the tools and equipment to benefit the trainees.
Miss Saviour Tiwah, 25 years who said she was learning fashion design said she was highly excited and commended the government for the NAP, urging the expansion of the programme to benefit more of the unemployed young women in the area.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Linda Asante Agyei