Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah, Minister of Youth and Sports, has disclosed that government allocated GH¢76million for initiatives geared toward youth development and empowerment in the country.

He said government has realised that unskilled youth are a key challenge confronting the nation, and the ministry is determined to tackle this issue for socio-economic development.

“In view of this, the ministry will ensure that youth centrs and other sports infrastructure in some districts will receive the needed support from the ministry to give the youth needed skills training,” he added.

The minister said this when he paid a courtesy call on Awulae Amihere Kpainyili III, President of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council, at his palace in Atuabo of the Ellembelle district, Western Region.

Also, the minister visited Youth Leadership and Skill Training Centres at Ellembelle, Jomoro and Ahanta West districts of the Western Region, to discuss challenges facing these centres and develop possible road-maps for addressing them.

He pointed out that, for many years, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has been accused of focusing largely on sports at the expense of youth development.

“We need to provide sports infrastructure and also develop our youth centres, so that all manner of youth programmes can be formulated to help our future leaders,” he said.

He revealed that this year his ministry will commence construction of Multi-Purpose Youth Centres nationwide, starting from the Ellembelle district – the centers will have modern football pitches and multi-purpose tennis courts for about ten disciplines.

Again, the ministry will construct two dormitories and workshops for the youth training centres which will offer skills-acquisition and jobs for youth in the Western Region.

Awulae Amihere Kpainyili, President of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council, appealed for the minister to help develop sporting activities in the Nzema area by constructing a modern sports stadium for the people of Nzema – “Now we have two football clubs, Nzema Kotoko FC and Karela FC, which have qualified to play in the country’s premier league next football season”.

He encouraged the youth, particularly students in the area, to take advantage of government’s free education policy to learn hard, so they can become responsible leaders in future.

Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, appealed to the people to continue living in peace to help ensure the area’s accelerated growth and development.