The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has opened two Skills Enterprise Centres in the Asutifi North District Assembly in the Ahafo Region to train young people in vocational skills.

The 30-day training package will benefit 45 young people, including; women and Persons with Disability (PWD), a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, said.

It said the beneficiaries would be trained by officers from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Head Office and equipped with the necessary tools for soap and detergent making, welding and fabrication.

The statement said each trainee would be given daily stipends to support the payment of transportation and meals.

It said apart from certificates from the National Vocational Training Institute to all beneficiaries, each person learning soap and detergent making would be given GHS 5,000.00 as seed capital.

The statement said those learning welding and fabrication would receive GHS 1,500.00 together with a complete set of welding materials (portable welding machines and all welding accessories and protective wears).

It said, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, speaking at the official launch of the European Union-funded project dubbed, "Building Local Entrepreneurial Skills to Support the Rural Poor for Sustainable Economic Self-Reliance," and the inauguration of the Skills Enterprise Centres, said the initiative formed part of CDD-Ghana's contribution towards ensuring inclusive growth and development for Ghanaians.

"We have realised that democracy in so many parts of Africa cannot survive because there are no jobs for the people – especially the youth – and without jobs, there will be no peace," he said.

Professor Prempeh in the statement added that, as a think-tank CDD-Ghana was working to promote and deepen democratic consolidation, good governance and inclusive growth and development.

He said they took a critical decision in 2018 to cultivate an untapped but important demography (the youth) with the aim not to only develop and sustain their interest in the country's governance and democratic processes, but also, to contribute to their total development as citizens.

The statement said out of five targeted districts, the Asutifi North District was selected as the ultimate beneficiary due to the Assembly's ability to provide the needed documentation including; annual reports, medium-term development and annual action plans to support the successful implementation of project.

It said the Skills Enterprise Centres would be handed over to the Asutifi North District Assembly to support future training programmes.

The statement said Mr. Anthony Mensah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, in his bid to extend the impact of the project, said the Assembly would donate an existing skills training centre at Kenyasi Number one to the project to aid the training of the youth in the area.

It also added that, the Chief of Kenyasi Number one, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo, commended CDD-Ghana and its project partners for the initiative and encouraged the first batch of trainees to fully commit to the training to motivate other young people in the three beneficiary communities to sign up and be trained to improve on their livelihoods.