Techiman (B/A), April 4, GNA - A first batch of 52 youth, including five females, who underwent a year's skills training and employment programme (STEP) under the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment have passed out at Techiman.

They studied carpentry, welding and fabrication, metal machinery, auto electrical, blacksmithing, auto body repairs, auto mechanic and spraying. Mr. Prince Yaw Donyina, Municipal Chief Executive, called on the graduate artisans to form co-operatives and partnerships to be able to access credit facilities and other interventions put in place by the government.

He stressed that the skills and knowledge they hand acquired should motivate them to work to become self-sufficient economically and to create job opportunities for less fortunate colleagues. Mr. Donyina advised the graduate artisans to cultivate the habit of saving with financial institutions to qualify for credit facilities to expand their businesses.

He said the Municipal Assembly and the Rural Technology and Business Centre would assist the beneficiaries financially if they established their own shops. The MCE urged the centre to train more youth to acquire skills to help reduce unemployment in the municipality. Mr. Yaw Ankomah-Kwakye, Municipal Manager of the Centre said the graduates were distributed among some 13 master craftsmen during the training.

Mr. Thomas Effah, chairman of Ghana Association of Garages, who presided, appealed to the Municipal Assembly to streamline modalities for the disbursement of funds through the banks for such training programmes.