By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, (Bono), Sept. 3, GNA – Mr Robert Kuzoe, Senior Manager of the MTN Ghana Foundation, has advised unemployed youth to acquire employable skills and pursue entrepreneurship instead of relying on government employment opportunities and white-collar jobs.
He said entrepreneurship created jobs and assured that the MTN Foundation Economic Empowerment Programme remained committed to providing financial assistance to young entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and create jobs for others.
MTN Ghana, in collaboration with Innohub Foundation, an enterprise support organisation, launched the five-year MTN Foundation Economic Empowerment Programme as part of MTN Ghana’s 25th Anniversary legacy projects.
The initiative seeks to provide financial support to at least 500 deserving Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Mr Kuzoe, speaking to the media in Sunyani on the sidelines of a pitch event to select beneficiary MSMEs, said the programme offered unemployed youth opportunities to engage in entrepreneurship and access financial support.
The event, organised by MTN Ghana and Innohub Foundation, was to select some of the MSMEs that applied for financial grants under the programme.
Miss Charity Abatey, a young entrepreneur, expressed hope that the programme would provide funding to expand and register her business and create employment opportunities.
She said she hoped to export some of her products and appealed to the government to create a conducive environment for private sector growth.
Ms Juliet Dzasi, Programme Lead, Innohub Foundation, said the programme intended to support between 100 and 150 MSMEs this year, depending on their funding needs.
She said the programme targeted youth-led, women-led and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)-led MSMEs, with the aim of strengthening their operations.
Ms Dzasi said GHS20 million would be disbursed this year to between 100 and 150 MSMEs in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.
Each beneficiary would receive between GHS10,000 and GHS20,000 to grow and expand their business and create additional jobs.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Dennis Peprah
Email: [email protected]