5-8-2014

The Zabzugu District Assembly in conjunction with the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training ( COTVET), has handed over the training tools and working equipment’s for the youths in the district through its National Apprenticeship Program. The National Apprenticeship Programme is an intervention by Government of Ghana which geared towards addressing the youth unemployment in the country by equipping them with the requisite skills through their various apprenticeships programmes.

The concept is targeted at youth of early school leavers in the JHS and SHS who have completed schools without having appropriate grades to pursue their academic studies. Fifty-four(54) beneficiary young men and women were selected from communities in the district in a survey conducted by Innovation for Poverty Action(IAP).

Beneficiaries were presented with training tools and equipment in the area of Cosmetology (hairdressing), Carpentry Tailoring, Block laying and concreting. The District Chief Executive of the area, Mr. Issifu Alidu Laa-Bandow, in his address cautioned the beneficiaries to use the training tools for their intended purposes in order to become responsible citizens for the country.

He also lauded the government of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama for rolling up this laudable initiative as it will curtail the rate at which young girls and boys migrate to the southern Ghana for ‘kayayei’ and truck pushing ventures at the expense of their carriers. The DCE further appealed to the parents of the beneficiary youths to take keen interest in the program as it would impact significantly to the overall development of their wards and their family at large. On his part, the District Co-ordinator of the Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET), Mr. Zakaria Mohammed commended the government and COTVET for their laudable support to the youths in the Zabzugu enclaves.

By Alhassan Abubakar Sadik, ISD-Reporter in Tamale, Email sadika64@yahoo.com