Kumasi, July 22, GNA- The government has voted 10 billion cedis of the Youth Fund to be disbursed as loans to skilled youth in the Ashanti Region.

Mr Amankwaa Frempong, acting Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council (NYC), announced this at a meeting with the Regional Management Committee responsible for the disbursement of the fund in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The meeting was to draw strategies on how the money was to be disbursed to prospective youth who wanted to access it. Mr Frempong said six centres and schools have been earmarked and designated as job creation areas where the loan could be accessed. He mentioned the Dwease-Praso Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) in the Asante-Akim North district, Asankare Youth Training Centre in the Asante-Akim South district and Agona Secondary/Technical School in the Afigya-Sekyere district. The others are the Saint Joseph's Secondary/Technical School at Ahwiren near Bekwai in the Amansie East district, Nerebehi ICCESS in the Atwima district and Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI).

He pointed out that this was the first of its kind in the history of youth work, that funds were going to be made available to skilled youth and urged members of the committee to be transparent and avoid favouritism.

Mr Frempong charged the members to work diligently, so that through them the youth could upgrade their profession not only to improve their living standards but could also help the up and coming ones to find employment.

He announced that the Ashanti regional NYC has embarked on anti-malaria campaign in all parts of the region through community clean-up exercises and sensitisation of the people on cleanliness.