The Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) has provided apprenticeship tools and equipment worth GhC140,000.00 to the Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA). Including quantities of electric sewing machines and other artisanal tools, the machines are to support the Association in the implementation of its phase-two Integrated Skill Project aimed at providing employable skill training for vulnerable young people. The Association’s skill project covers kente weaving, smock sewing, fashion, cosmetology, bicycle repairs, auto-mechanics, bead craft, hair dressing (cream), hair dressing (braid), aluminum fabrication, solar energy technology, wood technology (carpentry) and visual arts. Speaking at a presentation ceremony held in Sunyani, Ambassador Gorge Kumi, a member of the GIIF, said he was optimistic the machines would well-position the Association to enroll more of the unemployed youth to benefit from the skills training. He noted employable skills training had the potential to tackle the nation’s unemployment situation, create wealth and reduce poverty and therefore commended the Association for its vision and innovation in helping to create jobs for the youth. Mr Kumi, a former envoy to Nigeria under former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration entreated the youth to capitalise on the Association’s novelty, enroll and benefit from the training to fetch themselves jobs. Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive said the government through the Assembly and the Member of Parliament were doing everything possible to tackle the development needs of the people in the municipality. Mr Kumi said he was highly elated and overwhelmed about the activities of the SYDA which would help reduce unemployment in the municipality, and therefore invited the Association to engage the Assembly on issues bordering the holistic development of the municipality. He assured the Assembly’s readiness to support the Association to achieve its visions and aspirations and urged the youth in the municipality to avoid unhealthy lifestyles and channel their exuberances into productive activities. According to Mr Atta Akoto Snr, the President of the SYDA, the association, formed in 2015, sought to break the barriers of impossibilities in its quest to enhance youth development in the municipality and parts of the Bono Region. He paid glowing tribute to the late Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, the Paramount Chief of Sunyani Traditional Area who inspired the formation of the Association and supported its activities at that time. ‘The SYDA hub seeks to create concepts and support for apprentices to unearth innovation and creativity that are capable of solving our problems and also sustain entrepreneurship development,’ Mr Akoto Snr. stated. Highlighting some of its activities, he said the Association had plans to launch its ‘green solution for entrepreneurship development project,’ which sought to create awareness on green energy, as a solution to sustain entrepreneurship development. Additionally, the Association in partnership with the Manna Education Development Foundation, an NGO would soon construct a crèche to absorb children of trainees who become impediments in their mothers training. This strategy would enable all apprentices to go through the skill training to improve their productivity and make them self-sufficient. Mr Akoto Snr. expressed appreciation to the GIIF for the support and expressed the hope that other state and non-state actors, organisations and corporate bodies would come to the aid of the Association to train more of the unemployed vulnerable people in the area.
Source: Ghana News Agency