The SSB Bank Limited, in collaboration with World Vision Ghana, has provided financial assistance to some needy school leavers in the three Northern regions of the country.

The beneficiaries were drawn from the Upper East Region, Upper West Region and Northern Region. They include 10 girls and were taken through artisan skills to equip them with employable skills.

At a short graduation ceremony held at the SSB Bank Head Office in Accra, the Managing Director of the bank, Mr. P K Thompson, emphasized that the objective of the programme organized for the 10 girls is to enable them and other young school leavers living in deplorable conditions to acquire artisan skills, such as tailoring/dressmaking, carpentry, catering, welding, plumbing, masonry and mechanics.

This, the Managing Director said, is part of the bank's community partnership programme and its commitment to a responsible corporate citizenship, operating with the government to equip the youth with the required skills for national development.

It is also designed to curb the influx of school leavers into the cities to look for non- existence jobs.

Mr. Thompson revealed that apart from this step taken in Northern Ghana, the bank has also financed other community partnership programmes including a 25 .4m KVIP project for the Cape Coast school for the deaf; and a ?4.1million library to boost education in Amanful in Takoradi.

In a speech read for her, the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Mrs. Gladys Asmah, commended SSB Bank and the World Vision for the social services they are providing to needy school leavers, especially in the northern part of the country to eradicate poverty and illiteracy.

The minister added that government is desirous of giving skills to the unemployed youth; therefore, any joint effort in supporting the Government's objective is recognized and appreciated.

She advised the beneficiaries to take the skills acquired seriously and impart on other youth in their various communities.

Present at the ceremony was the Director of World Vision Ghana, Mr. Asare, who remarked that World Vision Ghana is concerned about the plight of hundreds of young people who flock into the cities from the villages to look for non-existing jobs.

But he blamed it on the inability of the youth to acquire relevant skills that will make them employable.

Mr. Asare appealed to other institutions to come to the aid of such young people living in poverty stricken communities in the country.

The beneficiaries who graduated from the programme are Regina Aura, Eva Asusko, Viola Agele, Victoria Abuula, and Benedicta Tango (from Bongo). The rest are Wasila Alhassan (Savelugu), Evelyn Naa, Ophelia Kamla, (Nadowli) Tani Idrrisu and Adamu Zakaria (Gusheigu).