The Ghana Professional Tailors and Dressmakers Association has officially declared support for the presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Speaking at the Annual Conference of the Association on Friday, August 30, 2024, at Wenchi in the Bono Region, Kofi Poku, the association’s National President, said their decision was made after carefully considering the NPP’s track record and policies for their sector.

“The NPP has done a lot for professional tailors, dressmakers and, indeed, for all artisans in the country. It was the NPP that professionalised our sector and association through the necessary legal and regulatory reforms. This has made it possible for our certificates to be recognised globally. The party also invested a lot in our sector and, more importantly, implemented Free TVET. That is why, as an association, we have resolved, in our collective interest, to support Dr Bawumia and the NPP in the December polls.”

The conference was graced by Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the vice presidential candidate of the NPP, the Special Guest of Honour for the occasion.

In his keynote address, Dr Opoku Prempeh, a former Minister of Education, credited for spearheading the successful implementation of Free SHS and Free TVET, reaffirmed the NPP’s unwavering commitment to enhancing technical and vocational training.

“For us in the NPP, we understand and place value on technical skills required in various industries, that is practical and hands-on training. This was the reason why, during my tenure as education minister, we spearheaded the passage of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023) and the Pre-tertiary Education Act 2020 (Act 1049) which, among other things, mandates the Commission for TVET (CoTVET) to regulate, administer and promote TVET across the country,” he said.

The NPP running mate, Dr Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, also assured the professional artisans that the next NPP government under Bawumia’s presidency will build on the gains made and significantly expand the coverage of the Ghana Skills Development Fund towards apprenticeship training for job creation.

He added they will continue to collaborate with the association to review and implement the needed curricula that will make them more competitive globally.

NAPO was accompanied by Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (MP, Assin Central), Chairman Smith Buttey (NPP National Vice Chairman), Dr Ayew Afriyie (MP, Effiduase Asokore), Joseph Quarm (former MP, Manso Nkwanta), Collins Owusu Amankwa (former MP, Manhyia North), Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah (CEO, CoTVET and parliamentary candidate for Offinso North), Henry Nana Boakye (National Organiser, NPP), among others.

The running mate and his team continued their constituency-focused campaign tours to Wenchi, Kintampo South and Techiman North constituencies where they held meetings and community engagements with chiefs, religious leaders and other key stakeholders.

Dr Opoku Prempeh recounted the laudable achievements of the NPP and rallied support for Dr Bawumia and the parliamentary candidates of the party, namely, Kojo Frimpong for Wenchi, Alexander Gyan for Kintampo South and Martin Oti Gyarko for Techiman North.