Mr. George Mensah Akpalu, Municipal Chief Executive of West Akim, has said the National Democratic Congress’ Better Ghana Agenda is progressively on course with his Assembly offering opportunities to the jobless

The job opportunities, he said, are through the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and other initiatives.

The MCE said: “My heart is always saddened when I spot people with their exuberant youthful energies roaming about doing nothing whereas there are several lucrative jobs that they could venture into.”

He said joblessness makes them susceptible to several social vices that would eventually turn them into ‘agents of destruction.’

Mr. Akpalu was speaking at a graduation ceremony for 20 dressmakers at which sewing machines were presented to the graduates at Asamankese in the West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region at the weekend.

The NYEP in the Municipality has 645 beneficiaries out of which 86 have been absorbed into mainstream employment.

“The Government has elevated the programme to an unprecedented height by adding new modules like the LESDEP, YESDEC, ICT, Police, Prisons, Fire service, Youth in Road Maintenance and Dressmaking,” he said.

Mr. Akpalu explained that because the NDC Government strongly believes that the youth are the future leaders, it is striving to find work for them instead of leaving them to spend their time to watch pornographic videos, smoking and drinking, which have negative health consequences.

He said the Assembly, the Police and the traditional authorities were jointly organizing a swoop on the youth who join bad companies at night, and stressed that the initial moral training of children is fundamentally the responsibility of parents and that role should not be relinquished to the school, otherwise, children would fall victims to delinquency and other related vices.

Mr. Akpalu argued that it was the duty of parents to set the pace for the general training of children before teachers join to enhance the virtues already acquired by the m at home.

He, therefore, asked parents to show commitment to their children’s education because they, as stakeholders, had to help to redeem the falling standard of education in the communities.

The MCE asked people to stop looking down on certain trades, as if such vocations were inferior.

He said dressmaking for instance, had a “far-reaching multiplier effect,” therefore, it was very affordable and remunerative. ”

The MCE talked about the December General Election and asked self-seeking politicians to halt their nefarious and unpatriotic actions aimed at destabilizing the nation.

He called for peace because it is the pre-requisite for the growth of multi-party democracy and expressed the was hope that through peace and tranquility, the realization of the Better Ghana Agenda would triumph

Mr. Akpalu advised the electorate to endeavour to register massively when the Biometric Registration of Voters starts on March 24.

Mr. Henry Tetteh, Municipal NYEP Co-ordinating Director, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the 20 graduates, made up of 16 females and four males are the first batch to graduate from their apprenticeship training.

He said GH¢3,000 was spent to provide sewing machines for them.

He said the second batch consisted of 200 trainees, adding that, the programme was committed to improving the living conditions of the people through provision of decent livelihoods to the youth.

Mr. Tetteh tasked the beneficiaries to stay and work in their communities so as to help employ and train other apprentices in their chosen profession.

Mrs. Mamunatu Adams, Municipal Deputy Coordinating Director, noted that the package had relieved the graduates of some of their burdens because they could not have afforded their own start-up equipment.

She noted that poverty usually forced young girls to go on the streets to engage in undesirable activities, leading to unwarranted pregnancies.**