The Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Abdul Mumin Issah strongly believes that equipping young people with employable skills is one of the ways to reduce the growing rate of unemployment.
According to the MCE, unemployment is identified as a threat to national security, thus the teeming youth must engage in employable skills.
” I expect that the beneficiaries will avail themselves to improve their employability and entrepreneurship abilities to positively impact our local economy. The high unemployment rate among the youth has contributed to social vices. It was therefore not surprising when the National Security identified the high numbers of unemployment as a security threat to our country.
Employable skills that encourage beneficiaries to become self-employed and able to set up micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises is, therefore the way forward to significantly reduce the spate of unemployment,”
He made this known while delivering a speech at the 4th GrEEn Regional Job Fair in Takoradi under the theme, “Career Prospects in TVET: The Nexus of Green Jobs for Inclusive Transformational Development” which brought together over 500 job seekers, employers, and exhibitors from the green and circular economy.
The MCE touched on some projects funded by the European Union and implemented by STMA that will give some 150 youth and women employable skills in plastic recycling, construction of eco-friendly ovens, and others.
” The STMA, through EU-funded projects dubbed the Twin Cities In Sustainable Partnership Project, is training a Hundred and fifty unemployed youth and women in green social enterprises such as plastic recycling, the construction of eco-friendly ovens, and biodigester toilet technologies.”
He admonished that more attention and support be channelled to Technical and Vocational Education Training to be an integral part of the curriculum.
He said,” It is unfortunate that in Ghana and many African countries TVET has not been given the needed attention and support compared to other areas of our educational system. The intervention by the Green Project is a welcome call and must be supported by all.”
