Julius Debrah (M)
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has stated that since assuming power, President John Dramani Mahama has walked his manifesto talk of addressing youth unemployment in the country through youth initiatives.
These initiates include the National Apprenticeship Programme with an initial official enrollment of 10,000 beneficiaries across the 16 regions. The programme is structured to provide competency-based training in eight key trade areas: agriculture, craftsmanship, fashion, cosmetology, ICT, renewable energy, automotive, and hospitality.
The rollout of the Ghana Youth Federation (GYF), a new umbrella body that unifies youth groups across sectors to amplify their voices in governance and development among others, he said, is another project.
The Chief of Staff, who was speaking at the National Youth Conference themed, “Igniting Potential; Inspiring Change” in the Central Region, said the youth must be assured that they have President John Mahama, a leader who believes in them and is committed to ensuring their success.
“He has immense faith in the youth, which is why he established a dedicated ministry for youth development and empowerment. His commitments are not mere political rhetoric but a genuine effort to make a difference in the lives of the youth,” Mr. Debrah added.
Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, said the inauguration of the Ghana Youth Federation will create a powerful, united front representing the voice of young people from every corner of the country.
He stated that the federation was established under the National Youth Authority Act 939, which gives the authority the power to constitute the federation.
“This is not just an institution that will elevate youth; thanks to President John Mahama, we are implementing the National Apprenticeship Programme, which is the biggest social intervention programme in the history of this government. It caters to individuals who lack skills or education, supports them throughout the process, and ensures they are provided with a source of livelihood at the end,” he explained.
The CEO of the National Youth Authority, Osman Abdulai Ayariga Esq., added that participants will be given starter kits, and they will be better equipped to fend for themselves.
“We have started training 10,000 youth who are being trained by 4,000 master craftsmen. God has been gracious, and the government has assured us that next year, we will be training 100,000 youth. Initially, we were hoping to select only 10,000 youth, but we received over 150,000 applications from interested individuals. It was a difficult and heartbreaking process to inform the majority that we could only select 10,000 out of the 150,000 applicants,” he said.
Osman added that with President John Mahama’s assurance, 100,000 youth will be trained next year as promised.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke