Employment Minister launches 48,000 Euro apprenticeship project

Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations has launched apprenticeship and employable skills training project to provide employment for the youth in the Sunyani West and Jaman South Municipalities of the Bono Region.

The 48,000 Euro-project, being funded by the German government through the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) will provide direct jobs for 150 young men and women in five communities in the two Municipalities.

The communities are Odumase, Chiraa, Fiapre and Nsoatre in Sunyani West and Kwasibourkrom in Jaman South.

The project will train beneficiaries in tiling, masonry, plumbing, tailoring, dressmaking, hairdressing, and cosmetology as a catalyst to reducing youth unemployment.

The Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GGC) is the major implementer, whilst Top Vision, a non-governmental organisation is facilitating the implementation of the project.

GGC is part of a global project "Programme Migration for Development" commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by the GIZ in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.

Its objective is to support Ghana's efforts at improving living conditions of her people by providing opportunities to enhance job prospects now and in future.

Speaking at a ceremony held at Fiapre, Mr. Baffour-Awuah, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani West said through this, the project will provide alternatives to irregular migration among the youth in the two implementing areas.

It will at the same time support the successful socio-economic reintegration of returning migrants into their host communities.

Mr. Baffour-Awuah observed employable skill was very essential to the holistic development of the youth, and advised the project implementing communities and beneficiaries to always avail themselves throughout their nine-month training programme.

He commended the German government for her continuous support to Ghana and hoped that the long standing bilateral relations between Ghana and Germany would be strengthened for the benefit of both countries.

Mr. Kwaku Yeboah, a Senior Advisor at the GGC noted inability to access employment opportunities among the youth was widely cited as a major contributory factor to decision by young people to leave family and friends in search of opportunities abroad.

"In partnership with other German Cooperation projects such as the Programme for Sustainable Development under the Migration and Employment Promotion Component, the GGC has provided 34,665 opportunities to the Ghanaian youth and diverse reintegration support schemes for returning migrants", he said.

On completion, Mr. Yeboah added the GGC would also provide trainees with start-up capital, tools and shops as well as support them to form cooperatives to help promote their services.

Dr. Paul Osei Brafi, the Project Manager of Top Vision explained beneficiaries would be selected through a comprehensive stakeholder engagement and training needs analysis.