Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the Asongtaba Cottage Industries (ACI) have graduated trainee hairdressers and dressmakers at a ceremony in Accra.
The grandaunts numbering 3,629 were made up of 2,486 dressmakers and 1,143 hairdressers were trained in ways to establish sustainable businesses and how to provide direct and auxiliary employment assistance to others.
Mr Abuga Pele, Executive Director of GYEEDA in a speech read on his behalf, said in propelling the agenda for youth entrepreneurship, steps have been initiated to harness the immense benefits of Public Private Partnership towards solving the youth unemployment situation in the country.
He said several initiatives are being implemented jointly with private and non-Governmental institutions such as Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Youth Enterprises and Skills Development Center (YESDEC), RLG Communications and Asontagtaba Cottage Industries.
Mr Pele said the World Bank had agreed to finance a programme, "Youth Enterprise Project", which would bring together youth groups and individuals who have brilliant business ideas and proposals to be supported and mentored as they grow their businesses into sustainable ventures.
Mr Issac Vanderpuye, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, said Government was progressing in its effort to provide jobs and training to the youth.
He said Government was aware of her responsibility to provide basic skills to the youth of the country and cautioned the beneficiaries of the training to be responsible citizens by paying their taxes to their various assemblies.
Mr Vanderpuye assured managers of the programme of the Regional Coordinating Council commitment and support as they seek to improve the lot of others.
Mr Henry Kangah, Executive Director of ACI, said government sees the development of the youth as vital as they are a rich resource base and with the right training can make a positive contribution to the economic development of the nation.
He said this can be realized through a well defined public-private partnership which has been exemplified in the relationship between government and GYEEDA.
Mr Kangah said Asongtaba through the partnership was facilitating the training of the youth in various vocations with the overall goal of making them economic independent and socially proactive.
The Chairman of the occasion was Nii Nortey Owuo III, Osu Mantse and President of the Osu Traditional Council.