Catherine Abelema Afeku
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira in the Western Region, Catherine Abelema Afeku, is sponsoring about 500 youths, who are predominantly young ladies, in the constituency for an apprenticeship training programme.
At a Vocational and Skills Training Programme at Axim over the weekend, the MP, who doubles as a Minister of State at the Office of the President, said “this is to complement efforts by the government to reduce unemployment among the Ghanaian youth through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).”
She said the support by the Akufo-Addo government for vocational and skills training as an avenue to create jobs for the teeming youth was gathering momentum.
“With the support of my Municipal Chief Executive, Frank Okpeyen, I am ever prepared to support the youth who want to go into apprenticeship,” the MP, popularly referred to as “Nzema Yaa Asantewaa”, stated.
The beneficiaries will be trained in dressmaking, hairdressing, funeral decorations, pedicure, manicure, among others.
She pointed out that she was able to support some of the youth in 2009 and 2012 in that direction which helped to reduce unemployment in the constituency.
She, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity given them to become financially self-sustaining, saying “it is my expectation that you will take this opportunity offered seriously to learn skills in the respective programmes to equip you for the job market and become entrepreneurs one day.”
She appealed to the constituents to vote massively for the President and the NPP in the December general election to enable the NPP government to do more for them.
The Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wireko-Brobbey, debunked the assertion that technical and vocational education was for school dropouts.
He asked the beneficiary youth to take their respective programmes seriously since most great nations were developed through the efforts of those who had technical and vocational skills.
The Nzema East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Frank Okpeyen, expressed profound gratitude to the MP for showing keen interest in the development of the youth.
Besides, the MCE advised the beneficiaries to see the opportunity offered them as a ‘golden one’ and take it seriously to acquire the requisite skills to become self-reliant.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Axim