By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Aug. 18, GNA – About 150 young people in the Upper West Region are undergoing skills-enhancement training in hospitality and tourism management as part of the implementation of the Ghana Cares Obantampa programme by the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance.
The initiative formed part of the post COVID-19 impact mitigation intervention for young people and businesses.
The Tamale Technical University (TaTU) is implementing the programme in two locations in the Northern part of Ghana – one in the Northern Region and the other in the Upper West Region.
At the opening of a week-long training session in Wa, Professor Bashiru Imoro Ibn Saeed, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of TaTU, underscored the importance of the requisite skills in the management and sustenance of business, especially in the era of a competitive business environment.
“You may have the needed capital to start any business that you are interested in but the survival of that business depends largely on the skill you bring into the operation of this same business.
This is particularly so in the era of competition in these businesses that we all find ourselves in,” he explained.
Prof. Saeed, therefore, urged the participants to see the training as a rare opportunity to boost their skills and knowledge in the industry they found themselves.
He said the participants would be given certificates of participation at the end of the training, which they would have been required to pay for if not for that training.
Dr Michael A. Brigandi, the Chairman of the Ghana Cares Obantampa programme implementation Committee at TaTU, said the training was being implemented by only six selected institutions in the country with TaTU being one of them to represent the five regions of the north.
He said the northern sector was previously excluded from the training but due to its importance to the people in the area, and with the persistence of the leadership and some staff of the university, the training had been extended to benefit the people in the north.
“If you have this opportunity, you will be doing yourself a lot of disservice by not taking advantage of it,” he indicated.
Mr Osman Mubarik Abu, the Director of Public Affairs at the TaTU, expressed hope that the government would provide the participants with other support services such as tools and resources after training.
He entreated the participants to take the training seriously to gain employable skills, initiate their own businesses and employ other young people to help reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Some of the participants, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), thanked the government and the management of TaTU for the opportunity offered them.
They gave the assurance that they would use the skills gained through the training to impact society meaningfully.
GNA