Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will roll out a comprehensive National Apprenticeship Program that will focus on providing jobs to young people and enhancing their skills.
He explained that the initiative will be implemented by the local Assemblies, where artisans will be supported to engage and employ young people.
The NDC flagbearer, who is on the “Building Ghana We Want Tour” in the Ashanti Region, addressed inhabitants of New Edubiase, outlining measures to tackle youth unemployment if elected in 2024.
“For individuals outside the school system, our emphasis is on skill enhancement, enabling them to explore opportunities in hairdressing, seamstressing, and other artisanal crafts. The next NDC government aims to establish a National Apprenticeship Program, with District Assemblies leading the implementation. They will oversee the registration of artisanal business owners and attach the young people with them. Local Assemblies will allocate funding to mentors who will guide these young individuals,” Mr. Mahama promised.
In his interaction with cocoa farmers in New Edubiase, Mr. Mahama said the next NDC will introduce initiatives to help the growth of the cocoa sector.
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“The next NDC government will continue previous initiatives to improve the cocoa sector. Additionally, we will provide factories in cocoa-growing areas to ensure we add value to the cocoa beans instead of exporting them in their raw form. This will go a long way to help cocoa farmers, and the factories will also help provide jobs to the youth in these areas,” he stated.
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In another development, the National House of Chiefs has reiterated its call for the government to take far-reaching measures to comprehensively clamp down on the menace of illegal mining.
The House has also stressed the need for all stakeholders to be involved in the fight against illegal mining, devoid of politics.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, made the statement during a meeting in Kumasi, where officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were invited to brainstorm on finding lasting solutions to the issue.
The President of the National House of Chiefs used the occasion to highlight the significant role chiefs have to play in addressing illegal mining in Ghana.
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“This meeting is long overdue, but it is better now than later because I strongly believe that if Nananom are included and empowered in the fight against galamsey, we can be assured of more effective results. Illegal mining has resulted in environmental degradation, including deforestation, pollution of water bodies and rivers, and soil erosion. Illegal miners also use toxic chemicals and heavy metals including cyanide, mercury, sulphuric acid, and lead, which have negative effects on individuals and must therefore be stopped.
Reacting to this, the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Henry Kwabena Kokofu, said since the approach of using the military to fight the canker has not been successful, collaborating with traditional authorities will be the game-changer.
“We do know that governments upon governments have taken steps over the years to initiate several policies and programs in an attempt to curb illegal mining including the use of the military and other security agencies, but it seems not to be getting results, so this encounter is to solicit the wisdom of nananom to help us deliver on what we are targeting in the fight against illegal mining.”
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