85 NYEP VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINEES GRADUATED

Eighty-five (85) youth in the Tamale Metropolis who went through six months intensive skills training in batik, tie and dye, catering and hairdressing under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) have successfully graduated in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital.

The training programme which was under one of the new modules of the NEYP –Trade and Vocation- was organized in a joint effort by government and the Ghana Young Artisans Movement (GYAM), a non-partisan and non-religious organization in the Northern Region, that exist to ensure youth and community development initiatives with a view to reducing poverty in its operational areas.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony last week, Abuga Pele, National Coordinator of the NYEP said that the new module formed part of the NYEP’s change of focus to explore the potentials of the Ghanaian youth through self employment.

This, he noted would lessen the burden on government’s financial stride to provide lucrative jobs for the youth of this country.

Mr. Pele hinted that plans were far advanced to replicate the Trade and Vocation Module and similar ones throughout the country, adding that the physically disabled will be covered.

Abdul Fatawu Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Ghana Young Artisans Movement commended the President Mills led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for its unflinching efforts to develop the youth of Ghana through such interventions.

He also thanked donor agencies including Tools for Self Reliance in the United Kingdom, Simavi in the Netherlands, the Embassies and High Commissions of Britain and Canada in Ghana for their support over the years.

Mr. Fatawu revealed that GYAM since its establishment in 1995 has been involved in youth and community development through which water and sanitation facilities had been provided to peri-urban communities in the three Northern Regions.

In a speech read for him, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, San Nasamu Asabigi, Chief Director at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council noted that the youth of Ghana deserved proper livelihood hence government’s zeal to make them productive through several modules of the NYEP.

Mr. Nasaamu Asabigi said government will resource the NYEP to implement its well tailored programmes especially in Northern Ghana in order to curtail the mass exodus of the youth to Southern Ghana to engage in Kayayee (head-porter business).

The graduands received certificates and were supported with working tools to explore the acquired skills to benefit their community members, but were asked to repay when they begin to make profit.