Sekondi, May 22, GNA- One hundred and twenty textiles and garment factories would be established throughout the country within the next two years under the President's Special Initiatives (PSI) on textiles and garment.

Nana Tweneboah Boateng, PSI National Co-ordinator on textiles and garment who announced this at Sekondi on Saturday said the factories would provide direct employment to more than 70,000 people. He was speaking at the graduation ceremony of 200 youths who underwent a four-week training in sewing, which formed part of textiles and garment production processes.

It is envisaged that more than 30,000 people would indirectly gain employment, he said, adding, "The multiplying effect will be very exciting". Nana Boateng said 5,000 people nationwide had already benefited from the free training, which would help to sustain the textiles and garment industry. He said plans were far advanced to establish additional textiles and garment training centres in Kumasi and Takoradi. This, he noted, would reduce cost of training, since beneficiaries had to travel to Accra for such training.

Nana Boateng told the trainees who are the pioneers in the Western region to exhibit high sense of dedication and discipline to enhance the PSI.

Papa Owusu Ankomah, Member of Parliament for Sekondi and Minister of Justice and Attorney General urged the people to take advantage of opportunities provided under the PSI to improve their lot. Mr. Peter Mac-Manu, Western Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who presided asked the people to remain loyal to the Government and give it their mandate in the December Mr. Muta Wakiru Idrissu on behalf of the trainees thanked the Government for making the training possible and said they would work hard to ensure that the investment made would be beneficial to the country.