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The Deputy Minority Leader and MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has launched a program called Skills-Up Ellembelle, a youth entrepreneurship training and empowerment program that largely targets about 1,000 youth already in skills training to help them complete their training and also ensure a group entrepreneurship startup support.
The GH¢2 million initiative seeks to offer comprehensive skills training in a wide range of hands-on trades, including mechanics, carpentry, electricals, welding, masonry (building and construction), hairdressing, and fashion design, over the next one year with startup support.
Speaking at the launching event at Ampain in the Ellembelle District, Emmanuel Armarh-Kofi Buah said the initiative is to help address the increasing unemployment in the district.
“The vision and common goal is to empower the youth of our district and equip them with the requisite skills to shape their future. Youth unemployment has become a national security issue, as recently announced by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana). This point was further amplified in the Ghana 2022 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) Third Quarter Labour Statistics by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) released on May 3, 2023, which found that about 1.76 million persons were unemployed in the third quarter of 2022 alone. In our own district, figures for youth unemployment are estimated at about 50%. These alarming figures for unemployment pose a security risk to all stakeholders.
“In this vein, we are launching the Skills-Up Ellembelle program aimed at recruiting and training thousands of young people in various skills, empowering them with the entrepreneurial management skills they need, and following up with the financial support they need to establish their own businesses,” he said.
The Ellembelle MP also told Citi News that although he has over the years initiated some skills training programs, what is unique about the Skills-Up Ellembelle Initiative is its strategic approach to largely target youth who will stay to complete the program and attract startup capital.
“We have learned lessons from our past experiences that will guide this new program. For example, we are prioritizing those who voluntarily took the first step to start a craft. Second, we are also going to put them in groups to register and establish their own businesses, give them additional training in enterprise management, and support them in collaboration with other stakeholders to provide funding support to expand their businesses,” he noted.
He added that the initiative is not only interested in just training but also in positioning the youth to attract business.
“These trades have been carefully selected based on their demand in the local market and their potential for job creation. Our ultimate goal is to benefit about 1,000 aspiring youth in the Ellembelle constituency through this life-changing initiative to help them become job creators rather than job-seekers. Through “Skill-Up,” we envision fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and driving economic growth, enabling our youth to seize opportunities and contribute meaningfully to our society. In addition to the training, our mechanism will ensure collaboration among participants, leading them to establish enterprises or companies capable of drawing in funds and support,” he added.
The Ellembelle District Director of the Ghana Enterprise Agency, Edward Arthur, who expressed delight about the potential of the initiative, told Citi News that youth empowerment leads to self-reliance and job opportunities and therefore urged the youth to take advantage of the initiative to acquire skills.
While commending Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah for the initiative, he said youth with skills stand a better chance of receiving startup support from the Ghana Enterprise Agency, and therefore encouraged them to be serious with the Skills-Up Ellembelle initiative to acquire the needed skills to attract startup capital.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, as a show of his commitment, handed over payments covering the training initiative to the various master trainers at the launching event.
The Chief of Ampain, Nana Fofole, and some of the Skills-Up Ellembelle Initiative beneficiaries expressed much appreciation to the Member of Parliament of Ellembelle for his commitment to guaranteeing a better livelihood for the youth of Ellembelle.
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