A total of 82 youth have graduated in Effutu Municipality after undergoing a six-month intensive training in hair dressing and tailoring under the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP).

Sixty-six of the beneficiaries were hairdressers and were each given a set of hairdressing tools at a cost of GH¢602.65 to repay in monthly installment of GH¢33.48 for one and half years. The remaining 16 were dressmakers and also given one sewing machine at the cost of GH¢99.11 each to repay in monthly installment of GH¢8.26 for one year.

Addressing the graduates at a ceremony in Winneba, Mr Mike Allan Hammah, Member of Parliament for Effutu, asked them to work with the machines to justify the purpose for which they were given to them.

LESDEP is an intervention by the government to support the youth who due to one reason or the other could not further their education to help them obtain vocational skills to forge ahead.

“The programme is also a way to reduce poverty in the society as well as preventing the youth from migrating to the cities to seek for white colour jobs which are not there,” Mr Hammah said.

He urged other youth to take advantage of such innovations by the government to acquire entrepreneurial skills and aspire to establish their own businesses to earn a living.

Mr Edwin Okpoti Sowah, Central Regional LESDEP Coordinator, said 2,102 youth in the Central Region had undergone job training and entrepreneurial training under the programme and resourced to set up their own businesses.

They were provided with skills beauty care, fashion and garment, transport services and block moulding.

Very Rev Eldad Bonney, Presiding Member for Effutu Municipal Assembly, said these interventions by the government to better the lots of the people, especially the youth, were clear testimonies that the Better Ghana Agenda was on course.

He said it was also a means to help drive economic youth growth in the country, adding parents should encourage their children to be part of the programme.

Nii Ephraim, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, urged the beneficiaries of LESDEP to make good use of the equipment to effect the requisite change in their lives and the communities they live in.

He said the items given them were not gift, adding they should adhere to the payment agreement as schedule for others to also enjoy.