The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has observed that Technical and Vocational Education and Training among the youth plays an integral role in the growth and development of human capital and the economy.

Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo said: “It also provides an opportunity for the youth to be self- employed and an avenue to be self- reliant in developing themselves and contributing their quota to the development of the country,” he added.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo made the observation at a day’s workshop held for Regional Director and Heads of Community Development Vocational and Technical Institutions in Accra.

The workshop was to deepen already existing collaboration with Local Enterprise and Skills Development Project (LESDEP) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) to equip the Technical and Vocational Education Training Institutions.

LESDEP is a public-private partnership initiative which gives specialised training in all the sectors and is implemented through Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with other agencies including the National Youth Employment Programme.

He said the project do not only targets educated graduates but also the youth in a wide area of businesses like car washing, food vending, computer and mobile phone repair, dressmaking , fashion design, mini cargo transport services among other economically viable trades.

The Sector Minister urged the heads and regional directors of Department of Community Development to encourage the youth in their schools and localities to take advantage of the opportunity provided by LESDEP to empower and transform their lives.

Mr Kofi Attor, Chief Executive Officer of GIFEC, promised, that his outfit would support the Technical and Vocational training institutions with projectors, printers, scanners and a year’s internet connectivity.

GIFEC was established in 2004 to facilitate the provision and access to electronic services including Information Communication Technology, internet connectivity and infrastructure to the underserved and un-served areas of the country.**