By Frank Kwame Abbor, GNA
Ho (V/R), March 9, GNA – Artisans in the Ho Central Constituency have been encouraged to embrace vocational re-training and modern skills development to boost employment opportunities and drive economic growth.
Mr Richmond Edem Kpotosu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho Central, made the call during a Town Hall Meeting held at the OLA Senior High School Assembly Hall.
The engagement brought together artisans, youth groups, trade associations and development stakeholders to deliberate on skills development and job creation.
The programme, themed “Empowering Artisans for Skills Development, Jobs and National Growth,” sought to promote vocational training, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods among young people in the constituency.
Addressing participants, Mr Kpotosu described artisans as key drivers of grassroots economic development and vital contributors to the nation’s productive sector.
He said artisans — including carpenters, masons, tailors, hairdressers, welders, mechanics, electricians and plumbers — played indispensable roles in sustaining livelihoods and supporting local economies.
“Artisans are more than labourers; they are architects of aspirations and catalysts for economic progress within our communities,” he said.
He explained that the town hall meeting was designed to strengthen dialogue between government and artisans to ensure that policies and interventions address the real needs of workers.
Mr Kpotosu urged young people to consider learning vocational trades, stressing that technical skills remained one of the most reliable pathways to sustainable employment.
He noted that such skills enable individuals to establish enterprises and transfer knowledge through the master–apprentice system.
He encouraged interested youth to register with his office to benefit from training and other skills development initiatives being introduced in the constituency, describing the interventions as part of broader efforts to tackle unemployment in the Volta Region and nationwide.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Christian Agordah, Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service, emphasised the fundamental role artisans play in Ghana’s socio-economic development.
He said artisans contribute to key sectors including construction, manufacturing, mining and cultural industries, and support the country’s infrastructure development and productivity.
Mr Agordah noted that despite their importance, artisans continue to face challenges such as inadequate access to finance, limited training opportunities, weak regulation and restricted market access.
Mr Gideon Bidor, National President of the Artisans Association of Ghana, also highlighted the sector’s economic value, indicating that artisans contribute about 27.4 per cent to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said strengthening TVET, improving financing access and formalising the artisan sector would significantly enhance job creation and national development.
Participants at the meeting expressed optimism that continued collaboration among government, training institutions and artisan groups would help transform the sector and create sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah