Regional News of Wednesday, 18 August 2004

Source: GNA

Lack of financial support affects human development

Nwodua (N/R), Aug. 18, GNA- The Tolon/Kumbungu District Chief Executive, Mr Alhassan Baako has said the government was committed to see the socio-economic development of the people and would do everything possible to provide employment for the youth to enhance their livelihoods.

He was speaking at the graduation of the first batch of 63 students from the Kofi Annan Vocational Training Centre at Nwodua in the Northern Region on Tuesday.

The students were trained in capentry and joinery, building and construction, dressmaking and tie and dye" for six months.

Mr Baako commended the UNICEF for supporting the centre and assured the management of the school that the assembly would support the youth in the area to benefit from the programme.

The Nwodua-Naa, Azimah Baako, appealed to the government to connect the community to the national electricity grid to promote small-scale businesses in the area and enhance quality teaching and learning at the centre.

Mr Godwin Y. Kudese, Manager of the centre announced that the government had provided 40 million cedis for the training of the students and urged the youth in the Region to take advantage of the training.

He said there was inadequate infrastructure at the centre and appealed to the authorities to address the problem.

The Manager appealed to the District Assembly to provide the students with credit facilities to purchase tools for their businesses. Mr Frank T. Owusu, Coordinator of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) in charge of Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, advised the students to form cooperatives to qualify for credit facilities from the banks.