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By Naillatu Iddrisu
More than 45 young people in the Tema West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have received start-up equipment under the government’s National Apprenticeship Programme to support their vocational training and help them establish sustainable livelihoods.
The beneficiaries will undergo training in dressmaking, hairdressing, welding, auto mechanics and other skilled trades as part of efforts to equip young people with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
Member of Parliament for Tema West, Lawyer James Enu, said the initiative differs from previous apprenticeship schemes because both the masters and apprentices will receive stipends to support the training process.
According to him, the programme forms part of government’s resetting agenda aimed at empowering the youth with practical skills to address unemployment.
He noted that many developed countries have advanced through strong technical and vocational training systems and urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the government.
The MP also cautioned master craftsmen responsible for training the apprentices to focus on delivering quality skills training and avoid assigning them household chores unrelated to their trade.
Lawyer Enu disclosed that the distribution forms the first phase of the programme in the constituency, adding that a second phase of equipment distribution will soon follow.
He further revealed that plans are underway to include additional artisan associations that were not captured in the initial phase of the programme.
Municipal Chief Executive for Tema West, Ludwig Totimeh, underscored the importance of maintaining the equipment and encouraged the beneficiaries to serve as role models in their communities.
He said the Tema West Municipal Assembly remains committed to creating employment opportunities for residents and will continue to support initiatives that promote skills development.
Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of the National Apprenticeship Programme, Jones Klutse, described the initiative as one of government’s flagship interventions to tackle youth unemployment.
He explained that the programme goes beyond skills training by providing beneficiaries with the tools needed to start their own businesses after completion of their training.
Mr Klutse added that strict monitoring mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the equipment is used for its intended purpose, urging beneficiaries to fully utilise the opportunity to become self-reliant and contribute to local economic development.
