Diana Acconcia, EU Ambassador to Ghana and Zoltan Agai
THE European Union (EU) has expressed satisfaction with the successes attained under the Ghana Employment and Social Protection (GESP) project being implemented in five regions across the country.
The three-year project (2018 – 2021), which is being carried out under a 3.6 million Euro grant from the EU aims at contributing to inclusive and equitable growth in Ghana by strengthening social protection and employment systems, particularly for the youth.
Briefing journalists in Accra on the project, Head of the EU delegation to Ghana, Zoltan Agai noted that the project had chalked success in the areas of capacity building, infrastructural development, business expansion, technical and vocational education training (TVET) and job needs assessment among others.
“More than 500 staff of the MELR, TVET institutions and agencies have increased their capacities by benefitting from variety of trainings and on-the-job coaching among others. Three sector skills bodies in agriculture, construction and tourism and hospitability were established to promote demand-driven TVET and public-private exchanges.
“Also, more than 20 agro-businesses have been supported to expand their operations in European and sub-regional markets, while substantial support has been provided to civil society partners for the promotion of social accountability”, the EU head reported.
Mr. Agai reiterated the need for the creation of decent jobs, adequate skills development and effective social schemes to boost sustainable and inclusive growth in every country, intimating that more progress would have been attained if not for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The pandemic has undoubtedly re-confirmed the need for more effective support systems for vulnerable groups to facilitate access to jobs and to social services”
He also reiterated the need for targeted support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost a faster recovery and expansion in new markets.
Head of the EU/Europe/Americas Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Ebenezer Nortey while appreciating the EU for its support in combating COVID-19, promoting job creation and complementing government efforts in expanding social protection interventions and bridging the poverty gap in the country, called on beneficiary agencies to do their utmost best to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in meeting the set objectives of the project.
He also appealed to the EU to consider extending the duration of the project which suffered a setback due to the impact of the COVID-19.
For his part, the Chief Director of the OHLGS, James Oppong Mensah disclosed that about 600 people had been identified in the implementing regions to be provided with decent jobs in the next phase of the project.
He called for a stronger and closer cooperation between all stakeholders to ensure that the objectives of the project are achieved.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio