A graduand exhibiting his skills at the graduation
Thirty youth, who underwent training in mobile phones repairs under the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP), have graduated in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
At a colourful ceremony on Wednesday, the Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi, in a massage delivered on his behalf, explained the rationale for LESDEP and said it was aimed at creating employment for the youth in the bid to reduce poverty in the country.
He said the programme is seeking to build the capacity and knowledge of the people to prepare them for the job market, saying “it is going to put them in the position to transfer technical and hands-on practical skills to raise their standards of living.”
He said mobile phones have become very essential and anybody, who is able to indulge in repairs and servicing, stands the chance of making some money for a living.
“The training of the youth, who are graduating today, will ensure that they provide quality services to phone users in the wake of the proliferation of repairers with little technical know-how on the job.”
Dr Apea-Kubi said government had therefore taken several measures to reduce unemployment in the country by exposing the youth to several gainful employment opportunities.
He urged graduates of the mobile phone repairs and servicing module to ensure that they deliver quality service to their clients.
Dr Smile Dzisi of the Koforidua Polytechnic and a consultant to LESDEP, advised the graduates to develop love and patience for those that they would also be training and working for and reminded them that Ghana was counting on them and so they should not fail.
Seth Otchere, the Eastern and Volta Region Zonal Coordinator of LESDEP, asked the graduands to be partners of the project and said they were trained to develop businesses to grow.
Fatahiya Zulka, another coordinator of LESDEP, said when given the needed support the programme could enhance the socio-economic growth of the country through sustainable job creation within the local communities.
Mrs. Zulka said the training is absolutely free and that LESDEP would depend on the dedication of the graduates to help train other unemployed youth in their communities.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executiv (MCE), Alex Asamoah, who chaired the function, described the programme of LERSDEP as the “Better Ghana Agenda in motion.”
By William Yaw Owusu