Training Programme for the unemployed begins

Accra, Aug 20, GNA- The second phase of the Skills Training and Employment Placement Programme (STEPP) will from now up to December, be training 7,000 unemployed in various vocations.

Mr J. Y. Amankrah, Director for Research, Statistics and Vocational Training, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra that 3,000 out of the figure would be trained to take up agriculture as a vocation. They will be trained in grass cutter and snail rearing and learn how to cultivate vegetables to feed the snails.

Mr Amankrah said honey villages would be established for honey making and tree crop cultivation.

He said about 3,000 youth were trained during the first phase in different vocations including food processing, batik, tie and dye, soap making, building and construction and electronics.

Mr Amankrah said the first phase, which started in February, cost 2.2 billion cedis but did not say how much the second phase will cost. He said by 2007 one million youngsters would have been registered with the programme and got placements.