The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has commenced a five-day capacity building training for potential young entrepreneurs in the northern region under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project. The initiative is under the Youstart flagship programme of the government of Ghana with the World Bank providing both financing and technical support for its implementation.
The Northern Regional Manager of GEA, Mr. Matthew Azoya, in an interview said the purpose of the project is to create jobs for over 5,000 youth nationwide and to also upgrade the skills of those who are already in business and potential startups.
Fifty percent of the target beneficiaries are women, unemployed youth and existing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) owned by school dropouts between ages 18 to 40years. Additionally, priority is given to Persons with Disability.
According to Mr. Azoya, the application processes started in November 2022 and over 288,000 people submitted their applications through an online portal nationwide.
He said the training of the applicants are into two stages but the first stage of the capacity building started on Monday, May 8, 2023, in the Northern Region.
“The program targets to run in three stages, we have the basic training that is currently ongoing, when we finish the basic, 30 percent of those who will qualified would be moved to the intermediate level then after that, 50 percent of those who qualified at the intermediate level will move to the advance level” he stated.
In the Northern Region, the Manager disclosed 1,667 people across the 16 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies are being trained.
He further appealed to the applicants to unveil themselves for the training and take full advantage of the opportunities available.
“Let me highlight that at the end of the day, apart of the capacity building a number of these qualified youth will be given grants and startup kits in order to start their businesses or improve upon them” Mr. Azoya advised.
Meanwhile, the government’s intervention with the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project addresses the sustainable development goal 8 which promote Decent Work and Economic Growth.
