President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has launched the Online/Digital Marketing Entrepreneurship programme for 3,000 unemployed youth to undergo a 3 month all-expense paid training programme.
The training is aimed at equipping the youth with skills to start-up their own businesses thereby reducing the unemployment canker amongst the youth in the country.
Launching the programme on behalf of the President, Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo noted that Ghana’s biggest problem is unemployment because 48% of our biggest asset, the youth, who make up 60% of the Ghanaian population, are unemployed.
He said to the beneficiaries that: “this is your chance to create employment so do not disappoint government. Be committed to skill acquisition and have a responsibility to maximise the benefits. To the trainers, I encourage you to provide world class expertise to the beneficiaries.”
According to the National Youth Authority (NYA), the first set of youth to be trained will be drawn from all ten regions of the country with each region having an average slot of 300 youths aged between 18 and 35 years with a basic appreciation of internet and social media.
ECOBANK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NYA to employ the trainees after they complete their programme of study.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said ECOBANK’s involvement in creating employment for the youth is a classic example of the public-private partnership programme.
Also present was Youth and Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, who has been instrumental in creating collaborations between the NYA, the Accra Digital Center and the AITI-Ghana-India Kofi Annan Center for ICT Excellence. He said: “Online digital marketing skills has the power to turn your social media accounts into income generating accounts.”
NYA CEO Emmanuel Asigri expressed delight about the president’s participation which he said demonstrates government’s commitment to prioritise youth development.
