The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in partnership with Master Card Foundation Young African Works, a non-governmental organisation have supported 30 entrepreneurs in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region with start-up kits to enable them to start up their own businesses.

The 30 beneficiaries made of tailors, hairdressers, welders and others were successfully trained in hairdressing, baking and confectionery, sewing and welding under the apprenticeship to entrepreneurship (A2E) component fully supported by the NBSSI and Master Card Foundation.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of apprenticeship to entrepreneurship (A2E) program in Damongo at the weekend, the Savannah Regional Director of NBSSI Mr Alidu Ewura said in 2019, NBSSI and Master Card Foundation Young African Works solidified a partnership to create fulfilling and dignified jobs especially for the youth and launched the program in June 2020.

He added that the project consists of three main interventions which include Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE), Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship ( A2E) and MSME Business Acceleration ( MBA).

Mr Ewura further stated NBSSI since 2017 has created over 18600 jobs with 61 percent of the figures being females adding that the government of Ghana under President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo is committed to its agenda of providing decent and dignified jobs.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to put the items into good use and again advised to visit the Business Advisory Center( BACs) as and when they are confronted with challenges in their line of work.

He thanked all partners of the program particularly master card foundation for the confidence reposed in NBSSI as an implementing partner.

Meanwhile, the project for the Savannah Region is in 3 districts namely West Gonja Municipality, East Gonja Municipality and the North Gonja district with beneficiaries receiving the kits for free to start up their own businesses.

A representative of the MCE for West Gonja Municipality also speaking during the graduation ceremony assured some of the beneficiaries of the training who did not receive the kits not to worry since everybody who participated in the training will in due course receive their kits from the organization.