Wa, Aug. 4, GNA – The first batch of 593 beneficiaries under the Dress Making Module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) has been presented with sewing machines with accessories to empower them to establish their own businesses.

The machines, whose value was not disclosed, were provided by the NYEP in collaboration with the Asongtaba Youth in Trades and Vocations Module of the Programme at a passing out ceremony at Wa on Wednesday.

Mr. Saani Nurudeen, Upper West Regional Coordinator the NYEP, who presented the items to Alhaji Issahaque Salia, Upper West Regional Minister, said the Wa Municipality would receive 116 of the machines.

The Wa East and Wa West Districts would be provided with 57 and 60 while Nadowli and Jirapa Districts would also receive 63 and 60 machines respectively.

The Lawra District would receive 59, Lambussie/Karni District - 58, Sissala East District - 58 and Sissala West - 62 machines.

Mr. Nurudeen said the second batch of 2,250 trainees under the programme had started and appealed to them to be more serious with their training.

They should also inform others in their communities who had not yet joined the Module to do so to enable the government to accomplish its campaign promises.

Mr. Nurudeen said the Programme had registered tremendous growth in all the Modules in the region under the “Better Ghana” Agenda initiated by the Government.

Employment figures under the programme had increased with the Waste and Sanitation Modules registering 1,530 youth.

Mr. Nurudeen said the Health Extension Workers Module, which hitherto registered only 474 youth had now increased to 1,126.

The Community Protection Assistants and Community Education Teaching Assistants Modules also increased from 33 to 112 and 1,473 to 1,900 youths, respectively.

He said other Modules, which had been introduced for the first time, included the Prison Protection Assistants, recruiting 51, Dressmaking enrolling 593, Youth in Film Industry engaging 22, and Hairdressing employing 1,000 youth.

The Youth in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Module had registered 30 and more were expected to enrol.

Mr. Nurudeen said about youth were expected to register at the Tumu, Jirapa and Lambussie Training centres under the ICT Programme.

The Youth in Road Maintenance Module would be introduced soon.

He advised the beneficiaries of the programme to work harder than before to help improve their livelihoods and to contribute meaningfully to national development.