The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has inaugurated two skills enterprise centers to the Asutifi North District Assembly in the Ahafo Region.

The centers, located at Ntotroso and Kenyasi No. 2, are fully equipped with the necessary tools for soap and detergent making, welding and fabrication.

A total of 45 persons in the locality, including youth, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs), will be trained by officers from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Head Office. During the 30-day training period, each trainee will be given daily stipends to support the payment of their transportation and meals.

Aside from the National Vocational Training Certificate which will be given to all beneficiaries after the training, each person learning soap and detergent making will be given GHS 5,000.00 as seed capital, while those learning welding and fabrication will receive GHS 1,500.00 together with a complete set of welding materials (portable welding machines and all welding accessories and protective wears).

Speaking at the official launch of the European Union-funded project dubbed, “Building Local Entrepreneurial Skills to Support the Rural Poor for Sustainable Economic Self-Reliance” and the inauguration of the Skills Enterprise Centers, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Professor H. K. Prempeh said the initiative formed part of CDD-Ghana’s contribution towards ensuring inclusive growth and development for Ghanaians.

“We have realized that democracy in so many parts of Africa cannot survive because there are no jobs for the people – especially the youth – and without jobs, there will be no peace,” he said. “That is why as a think tank working to promote and deepen democratic consolidation, good governance, inclusive growth and development, we took a critical decision in 2018 to cultivate an untapped but important demographic – the youth – with the aim to not only develop and sustain their interest in the country’s governance and democratic processes, but also, to contribute to their total development as citizens.”

Out of five targeted districts, the Asutifi North District was selected as the ultimate beneficiary due to the Assembly’s ability to provide the needed documentation including annual reports, medium-term development and annual action plans to support the successful implementation of the project. The Skills Enterprise Centres will be handed over to the Asutifi North District Assembly to support future training programs.

In their bid to extend the impact of the project, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Mr. Anthony Mensah committed that the Assembly will donate an existing skills training center at Kenyasi No. 1 to the project to aid the training of the youth in the area.

The Chief of Kenyasi No. 1, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo, also commended CDD-Ghana and its project partners for the initiative and encouraged the first batch of trainees to fully commit to the training they will be given, in order to serve as motivation for other youth in the three beneficiary communities to sign up and be trained to improve upon their livelihoods.