Story: Nana Peprah
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will roll out a comprehensive National Apprenticeship Programme that will focus on providing jobs to young people and enhancing their skills.
He explained that the initiative will be implemented by the local Assemblies, where artisans will be supported to engage and employ young people.
The NDC flagbearer, who is on the “Building Ghana We Want Tour” in the Ashanti Region, addressed inhabitants of New Edubiase, outlining measures to tackle youth unemployment if elected in 2024.
“For individuals outside the school system, our emphasis is on skill enhancement, enabling them to explore opportunities in hairdressing, seamstressing, and other artisanal crafts. The next NDC government aims to establish a National Apprenticeship Program, with District Assemblies leading the implementation. They will oversee the registration of artisanal business owners and attach the young people with them. Local Assemblies will allocate funding to mentors who will guide these young individuals,” Mr. Mahama promised.
In his interaction with cocoa farmers in New Edubiase, Mr. Mahama said the next NDC will introduce initiatives to help the growth of the cocoa sector.
“The next NDC government will continue previous initiatives to improve the cocoa sector. Additionally, we will provide factories in cocoa-growing areas to ensure we add value to the cocoa beans instead of exporting them in their raw form. This will go a long way to help cocoa farmers, and the factories will also help provide jobs to the youth in these areas,” he stated.