GEA holds Training Workshop on Entrepreneurship for youth in the Western North Region
9th May 2023
The Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) has commenced training on entrepreneurship under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project for youth in the western North region.
The Western Regional Directorate of the GEA spearheaded the opening session, which saw over 600 participants willing to grow their businesses as the project objective is to support skills development and job creation in Ghana.
The Ghana Jobs and Skills project is being carried out across all regional and district offices in the country, out of which an estimated number of 50,000 youth would receive entrepreneurship training, mentoring and coaching support under a standardized, quality-assured system under component two.
Declaring the project launched, the Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai MCE, Hon. Paul Andoh, urged the selected participant to put in much effort to ensure the unemployment rate in the country can be reduced.
"I know that if the government continues to support this program, backed by your efforts, it will be successful, and I believe the unemployment rate in the country and in this region will be reduced to the barest minimum," he said.
"Heaven helps those who help themselves, they say, so once you have been selected as the lucky ones, it is up to you to go through the process and acquire the knowledge that they are expecting from you so that, at the end of the day, we can curb the unemployment rate in this region and the rest of your brothers and sisters at home can also get the opportunity to benefit from this project.
"On this note, I hereby decertify this program. officialy opened," he added.
Monday's event heralds series of workshops to be held in all the Municipalities and Districts in the Western North Region.
Addressing the gathering held in the capital, Wiaso, the Regional Director of the GEA, Madam Habiba Sumani, admonished participants to take the project very seriously as it is intended to help them shape up their business ideas.
"At the end of the training, we expect that at least 50% of you would have gained the required knowledge and skills to begin to put your ideas into a business," she said.
"We are here to support you through this journey and to ensure that you start and grow a sustainable business to transcend your generation. I urge you all to participate fully in the lessons and the activities in order to progress to the next level."
Madam Habiba said the business start-up grants will deploy financial support to selected youth who have successfully undergone training up to the intermediate level and exhibit the trait to succeed as an entrepreneur.
"These grants will be available to individuals and self-formed groups, majority-owned by Ghanaians, with high potential to succeed in business and operating in any of the non-resource-based sectors, on a competitive basis," she added.
"The GEA will implement entrepreneurship training and grant support under Component 2.1 of the World Bank-funded Ghana Jobs and Skills Project (GJSP)."
The Ghana Jobs and Skills Project (GJSP) comes out of a $200 million financing agreement between the Government of Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA), a member of the World Bank Group.
The World Bank is providing both financing and technical support to the Government of Ghana for the implementation of the Project for State Stability, Social Cohesion, and Economic Inclusion.
It is being implemented over a six-year period and is expected to close on June 30, 2026.
The objective of the project was to facilitate the socio-economic development of the country through improved support for skill development and job creation across the country.
It has been structured into five components, such as the provision of apprenticeship training for jobs, the provision of entrepreneurship and micro and small enterprise support for jobs, youth employment and skills development programs, project management support for enhanced skills and job impact, and contingent emergency and response.
It is expected to create more decent jobs through apprenticeship and entrepreneurship skills development, coupled with grants to individuals and micro and small enterprises.
The agency will provide entrepreneurship training to 50,000 youth and early adults who have the potential to start a business. Three levels of entrepreneurship training will be offered: basic, intermediate, and advanced.
The training will be based on standardized, quality-assured packages in different locations nationwide. All training will be delivered using an experiential, participatory approach conducive to adult learning and will also be district-based and non-residential.
The youth entrepreneurship and start-up grants are expected to culminate in job creation, job sustainability, business innovation, and growth for enterprises owned by the youth in the country, leading to the reduction of social vices due mainly to unemployment amongst the youth.