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Accra, July 27, GNA - The German Ambassador, Mr Peter Linder on Tuesday said investment in girls' education was the most efficient and far reaching investment that a developing country could make.

He said education of girls affected all dimensions of development such as reducing infant and maternal mortality, fertility rate, higher level of productivity and improved environmental management.

Mr Linder, who was speaking at the inauguration of the National Coordinating and Governing Council for Catholic Vocational and Technical Training in Accra, said Germany annually provided two billion euros for Development Cooperation with African countries.

Half of the amount, he said, was used for bilateral cooperation, including the funds for some development and political foundations, churches and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

"Employment policy for the youth is an essential element of the general poverty reduction policy - youth from the poorest segments of society are not to be marginalized."

To achieve that goal, Mr Linder said alliances had to be formed in which labour market and economic policies complemented each other, alongside the promotion of employment generation for the youth. He said through intensive consultation and coordination, a new concept was developed under the Ghanaian-German Cooperation in vocational training to assist the students to find real jobs after school and urged all partners to work assiduously to ensure the success of the concept.

He said the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church in Ghana had a long tradition in the field of vocational training and commended their efforts in improving the lives of the youth.