The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations who doubles as the MP for Sunyani West, Ignatius Baffour Awuah says the current Government is striving to reduce unemployment in the country through the training of the Youth in artisanship.
This according to him is to help curb irregular migration which is rife in the former Bono Ahafo Area.
He said the government is consequently partnering the German Government to establish a reintegration and capacity building center know as Ghanaian-German Sector for Employment, reintegration and migration to check the menace of irregular migration.
He said technology is changing and rendering a lot of jobs irrelevant. He therefore stressed the need for contemporary youth to equip themselves with artisanal skills in order to stay relevant.
He explains that TVET education is a priority for the Government.
“Technical and Vocational education has become the order of the day, the Nana Addo Government is consequently providing equal opportunity for all three tier type of education including the TVET, Apprenticeship and the Traditional system of education.”
The Minister was speaking during a ceremony organized by the Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA) to launch a project Dubbed “SYDA INTEGRATED SEWING PROJECT”.
The Project is designed to provide the youth with employable skills that have a value chain. The project, with funding support from the office of the Australian High Commission in Ghana, is aimed at providing training in dress making, bead weaving, smock weaving, carpentry, mechanics, hair dressing and pastry making among others.
The SYDA Integrated Project also includes the provision of Non-Formal Education to illiterates, Semi-literates and neo-literates.
Nana Akua Pomaa is a volunteer for the Project and she explains that, the event is aimed at encouraging the public to join the center and benefit from its services.
For his part, the President of the SYDA, Atta Akoto Snr, said the Association was formed to enhance development in the community by equipping the youth with the requisite technical and vocational skills. He explained that, SYDA is poised to compliment the SDG agenda.
“We are poised in our small corner to work toward the attainment of the SDGs,” he said.
“As a result, our activities are engineered toward the attainment of the SDGs. We seek to work toward SDG goal 1,2,3,4,5,,8,9,10,11,13,15,16 and 17. We have introduced weekly exercise sessions and definitely not for funfair sake, we entreat all interested persons to join our jogging and aerobic sessions on Sunday mornings to improve your health,” he added.
The event was graced by the Bono Regional Director of the NYA, Fati Bamba, the Sunyani Krontihene, Nana Bofotia Boaponsem and other Sub-Chiefs as well as members of the public
Story filed by Dauda Zul-kiful.
